Going Through The Loot by Mook Simpson

Size (cm): 101 x 115
Oil on canvas. Painted on a reproduction of “Bailed Up” 1895 by Tom Roberts.
In this work, I reimagine one of Australia’s most iconic paintings—Tom Roberts’ Bailed Up. By painting into an altered reproduction of the original, I intervene directly in a cornerstone of national mythology. The added figure reshapes the familiar narrative, prompting viewers to reflect on how we construct identity and history, who “we think we are”. The quiet provocation of this piece lies in its aftereffect: once this version is seen, the original appears forever empty and strange.