Trinitytoday 6 College News In July, Trinity College officially unveiled a portrait of Professor Marcia Langton AM at a dinner in the College Dining Hall. The painting is by Australian artist Brook Andrew. Professor Langton’s remarkable contribution to Trinity College includes shaping the Bachelor of Arts (Extended), a four-year degree for Indigenous students. Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne since 2000, Professor Langton was elected in 2012 as one of only 30 Fellows of Trinity, and last November was Conference Ambassador for the inaugural Indigenous Tertiary Education Conference convened by the College. Residential student Eloise Bentley spoke of the impact Professor Langton has had on inspiring her and fellow Indigenous students. ‘During my four and half years at the University of Melbourne, I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with Marcia here at Trinity and at the University,’ said Eloise. ‘My first impression of Marcia was one of both awe and intimidation, but over time this trepidation eased. I’ve since developed a great respect for Marcia for several reasons, but in particular for her desire to see all Indigenous students not only achieve, but excel. ‘When I first came to university, and like so many of my fellow Indigenous students, I felt there were low expectations of us, and that other students thought we got an easy ride to university. But each and every time I speak with Marcia, what always stands out to me is her high expectations of us. ‘What my fellow Indigenous students and I have noticed is that the expectation of achievement doesn’t necessarily come from the wider University, but from each other, and this is what Marcia has instilled in us.’ The unveiling was also an opportunity to pay tribute to the artist, Brook Andrew, who has exhibited internationally since 1996, and whose art examines dominant Western narratives, specifically relating to colonialism. Most recently, Andrew was awarded a 2017 Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship and has just returned from the Musée du quai Branly, Paris, as a Photography Residencies Laureate. Professor Robyn Sloggett, Director of the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne, highlighted the unique artistry Andrew adopted in the portrait. ‘The paint is applied to the support through mesh, first using a flood bar to distribute the paint across the screen, and then using a rubber fill blade or squeegee to force the paint through the mesh and onto the support,’ said Professor Sloggett. ‘If you look carefully at the very thin space around Marcia’s figure you’ll see how absolutely perfectly this register has been produced and how important these finely precisioned cues are in how we read the portrait.’ The portrait of Marcia Langton can be seen in the reception foyer of the Bishops’ Building. MARCIA LANGTON PORTRAIT UNVEILED BY TIM FLICKER Professor Marcia Langton (fourth from left) with Indigenous students and leaders at her portrait unveiling. Brook Andrew, Portrait of Professor Marcia Langton AM (2017), mixed media on canvas.