Peter Kongmalavong

I have designed a fashion installation with a series of photographs based on William James Mildenhall’s collection during Acton in the 1920s. This digital work incorporates Canberra’s growing history based on events occurring in Acton. In this work I replicate factual events in Acton displaying the artifice of the Mildenhall collection in a sombre and sinister tone. Mediocrity, publicity and media during Acton at the time are subverted with a twist of surprise, questioning nostalgia as a danger to the past. I have presented a photograph to resemble the realities of Acton’s past, recreating garments, which are all hand screen printed and designed. I leave each subject matter in the photograph to be intangible, or challenge what one should speak of an archival history.