Selfie Down Under II 

Lucia Heffernan’s painting ‘Selfie Down Under II’ presents us with a group portrait of Quokkas, those charismatic marsupials native to Western Australia, against a backdrop of a blue sky with light clouds. The term “Selfie” and the title itself suggests Heffernan's concern with cultural commentary, addressing today’s selfie culture. The artist deftly draws on the animals' natural "smiling" expressions in this piece. This gives us a contemporary twist on portraiture. The painting could be seen as a light-hearted commentary on human behavior, using these endemic animals as stand-ins. To understand Heffernan’s intention, one might research not only the Quokkas themselves, but also how Australian animals have been used historically in art and popular culture. Thinking about the role of social media in wildlife conservation can also help us to appreciate the multiple layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly simple image.