Nullians is a satirical exhibition by Noongar artist Kamsani Bin Salleh that examines the ideologies underpinning Australia as an extraction colony. Through comic-style illustrations, Bin Salleh explores complex histories of colonisation, identity and power with humour, wit and disarming simplicity.

The exhibition centres on the Nullians—formless, expressive characters whose name references the colonial fiction of “land belonging to no one.” These figures are simultaneously no one and everyone: the artist and the observer, the First Nations person and the settler, the coloniser and the colonised, the status quo and those pushed to its margins. Through their conversations, they invite audiences to question inherited narratives and consider the ongoing impacts of colonialism.

Originally created out of necessity to articulate the artist’s perspective, the Nullians first appeared as drawings on discarded paper, receipts and tissues before finding an audience through social media. These self-published works have since gained national recognition, with selections exhibited alongside Australia’s leading political cartoonists at the Museum of Australian Democracy.

Using humour as a vehicle for difficult conversations, Nullians navigates subjects ranging from everyday microaggressions to genocide, weaving together historical events and contemporary popular culture. The result is a body of work that makes challenging ideas accessible while prompting reflection on Australia’s past and present.

This exhibition is presented with 10 Nights in Port: Walyalup Fremantle Festival.