Reko Rennie is a Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay/Gummaroi man, born in Melbourne, Australia in 1974. Through his art, Reko explores what it means to be an urban Aboriginal in contemporary Australian society. The National Gallery of Victoria Indigenous curator, Stephen Gilchrist, highly commended the artist's work for his uncompromising politics and technical virtuosity.
Rennie received no formal artistic training but as a teenager discovered graffiti, which would become an all-consuming passion. He quickly began producing original art on the streets of Melbourne. Subsequently Rennie has matured into an interrogative and highly innovative artist. His art and installations continually explore issues of identity, race, law and justice, land rights, stolen generations and other issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in contemporary society.
Rennie's work is characterised by vibrant colours, line work and intricate stencil imagery. Drawing inspiration from his Aboriginal heritage, the artist recreates traditional images in a contemporary context using spraypaint and stencils. His work often features the characteristic flora and fauna imagery that represent his community.
Rennie has exhibited in several solo shows including 'Native' at the Dianne Tanzer Gallery in Melbourne and 'Bora', at LeMUR Association in Paris and numerous group exhibitions in Australia. His work is held in the Art Gallery of Western Australia and in Koorie Heritage Trust. He has been the recipient of many major awards including the 2009 Cite International des Arts Australia Council Residency, Paris.
