It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of respected Elder Uncle Brian McKinnon (Dodd) of Noongar and the Amangu mob of the Yamatji Nation. This will be a very difficult time for his family, close friends, faculty members and students, and all of us who knew him. 

Uncle Brian was our inaugural Vice Chancellors Pre-doctoral Indigenous Research Fellow in the School of Art. He was a well-respected colleague, mentor and friend to many staff and students. His contribution to the fields of contemporary painting, Aboriginal art, and cultural education is significant in terms of his sustained professional practice, but also due to the passion and care he brought to engaging with community while also challenging the colonial legacies of these institutions.  

A GoFundMe has been set up to help his family — beloved wife Aunty Jill, daughter Crystal and sons James and Richard — and return him back to Yamaji Country in Western Australia for his resting place.

Image: Brian McKinnon, Source NITV radio