PAUL BONG | 'Invasion Day 1770/1788' | 2026 | Hand coloured intaglio etching | H 1120 x W 800 mm

In the second print from the series, 'Invasion Day 1770/1788', the creeping influence of the Union Jack on the form of a North Queensland rainforest shield speaks to the loss of culture and violent persecution of Aboriginal people that occurred on the colonial frontier. Together, the prints in the series also serve as a memorial to those who died defending Country during the conflicts. The print references two dates: the landing of Captain Cook and the Endeavour at Botany Bay, and the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia. In the work, the shadow of the British flag has appeared on the shield. In a statement about the work the artist writes: 'The blue shadow of a new flag in the background represents that ‘they have crept in’ as savages infiltrating our livelihood.'

PAUL BONG | 'Invasion Day 1770/1788' | 2026 | Hand coloured intaglio etching | H 1120 x W 800 mm