The first recorded moment in European queer history on Australian soil: a sodomy trial following the wreck of the Dutch Ship Zeewijk in 1727 where two young men were sentenced to death by marooning.
A Sorrowful Act: The Wreck of the Zeewijk
A Sorrowful Act: The Wreck of the Zeewijk derives from a broader investigation within Drew Pettifer's work to unearth hidden queer histories through archival art practices.
The project focuses on the first recorded moment in European queer history in Australia: a sodomy trial following the wreck of the Dutch ship the Zeewijk in 1727 where two young men were sentenced to death by marooning. Through photographs, video, audio and installation, this body of work recontextualises social histories to help us rethink our present.
A Sorrowful Act: The Wreck of the Zeewijk is curated by Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery Director, Professor Ted Snell AC CitWA. It has been supported by Perth Institute for Contemporary Arts, Australia Council for the Arts, Kingdom of the Netherlands, RMIT University and the City of Melbourne.
