An art installation of an inverted red triangle at a Melbourne gallery has sparked a stir over the symbol’s meaning.
The Hayden Art Gallery in Brunswick East is currently showing an exhibition by visual artist and RMIT University lecturer Dr Leslie Eastman entitled The Cave, The Flood.
Part of the exhibition includes a 3-metre wide inverted pyramid that is illuminated with a red LED spotlight.
The symbol of an inverted red pyramid has been used by the military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, to mark Israeli targets.
It has caused controversy around the world, and even Berlin has banned the use of the red triangle.
Dr. Eastman’s exhibition is described as a “response to the intense events that have erupted over the past nine months in historic Palestine.”
“More than ever, the latest phase of the occupation of Palestine has exposed the vested interests and limits of Western institutions, creating an avalanche of angry civil and artistic protests around the world,” reads the description on Hayden’s website.
‘The Cave, The Flood’ is a response to the complex history and meanings of this geological and spiritual turning point, considering it from both religious and political perspectives.
The symbol of an inverted red pyramid has been used by the military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, to mark Israeli targets. An art installation featuring the triangle is currently on display at an art gallery in Melbourne.
“There are many things that are confusing in Western reports. Western eyes have very little appreciation for context.”
The triangle has been on display at the gallery since August 16 and the exhibition will end on September 14.
Shadow Home Secretary James Patterson criticised the art installation.
“No supporter of the Palestinian cause in Australia should associate themselves with the symbols of Hamas, a listed terrorist organisation,” he said. The Australian.
“It is truly pushing the boundaries of art, good taste and potentially even the law to appropriate an image used by the Al-Qassam Brigades, the militant wing of Hamas, to designate Israeli targets on October 7 and in its propaganda videos since then.”
Dr Eastman is a Senior Lecturer in Design and Social Context at RMIT.
A university spokesperson said: “RMIT was aware that an academic was exhibiting their work, however we were not aware of the specific content of the exhibition.”
‘Academic creative practice research is based on light installations.’
Dr. Eastman and the Hayden Gallery have been contacted for comment.
The Hayden Art Gallery in Brunswick East is currently showing an exhibition by visual artist and RMIT University lecturer Dr Leslie Eastman (pictured) entitled The Cave, The Flood.