A Convict in the Family?

Temporary Exhibition | Updated 1 decade ago

Samuel Hodgkinson photographed with items similar to those stolen by his convict ancestor William Bellamy.
Samuel Hodgkinson photographed with items similar to those stolen by his convict ancestor William Bellamy.
Photograph © Mine Konakci

A Convict in the Family? is a photographic exhibition which unlocks the history of 40 living Australians and connects them with their convict heritage.

Comprising large-scale photographs by documentary photographer Mine Konakci, this exhibition explores the connection between convict settlers, their living descendants and the petty crimes that changed the course of their family history.

The subjects – ordinary Australians – are photographed in modern settings such as their home, garden or a public space with an item representing the petty crime that saw their ancestor sentenced to transportation to a new colony. Through involvement in the project, many of these subjects discovered their convict heritage for the first time.

This is a travelling exhibition from Sydney Living Museums - sydneylivingmuseums.com.au