Alana Hunt, Welcome Mat 2025. Coir and pigment. 80 x 40 cm.
In front of you is a welcome mat that is similar to one which you would find at the front door of someone’s house. It has thick pile, and the material is course. There are spraypainted words on the mat, which say “In Australia, the origin of the idea that housing is to be valued primarily as a commodity for producing private wealth is colonisation. It is part of our creation story”. This quote is taken from the former Victorian Supreme Court Judge, Kevin Bell’s 2024 book, Housing: The Great Australia Right.