Bendigo Gallery Report: Foreigner Experience in Australia Analysis

This report analyzes the experience of being a 'foreigner' in Australia, focusing on the Bendigo Art Gallery and the Golden Dragon Museum as key sites that reflect Australia's welcoming nature and cultural diversity. The analysis examines the historical context of Bendigo's Chinatown, the symbolic values of the art gallery, and statistical data highlighting Australia's cosmopolitan culture and high acceptance of immigrants. The report discusses the influence of Western culture, the egalitarian society, and the 'tall poppy syndrome,' as well as the role of geography and public opinion in fostering cultural acceptance. Research findings and survey results on marriage equality are included, illustrating Australia's liberal and progressive stance. The conclusion emphasizes how the art and architecture of these sites promote cultural awareness and a safe living environment for immigrants, highlighting the country's core values of equality and harmony.

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BENDIGO GALLERY

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How Changeable is Australia? A Study: Bendigo Art Gallery and Golden Dragon
Museum
Overview
The Golden Dragon Museum of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia is a motif of the
welcoming nature of the nation towards its immigrants. The museum is built on a site of
historical context, Bendigo's Chinatown, and is adorned with Chinese gardens and a temple.
Built in 1991 to fulfill the vision of Rusell Jack, the Golden Dragon Museum's fundraising
began in 1988, also the Chinese year of the Golden Dragon. It derived its name from the most
notable artefact in the museum, a processional dragon called Wah Yan Gum Loong,
anglicized as 'the golden dragon' (Bendigo Art Gallery, 2019). The Bendigo Art Gallery,
located in Australia, holds similar symbolic values of the nation's acceptance and diversity.
Being a regional art gallery, the place hosts a variety international artefact as well, along with
regional artefact. The art gallery is yet another symbolic token of the intermingling of various
international subcultures and the homeland Australian culture. The gallery derives its logo
from Ettore Cadorin's statue called, Venus tying her sandals (1913), who was an Italy born
American citizen and much appreciated in Australia. The borrowing of cultural elements
from all over the globe is a clear giveaway of the ideology of the nation to consider diversity
as strength (Butler, Holloway & Marriott, 2019).

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Facts and figures
Studies have shown that every one out of 4 people in Australia is a non-native or a
'foreigner'. However, the ground reality is that Australia has a cosmopolitan culture and
owing to the diversity in the population and as a consequence, in the way of life, it is difficult
for a certain group of people to feel alienated or 'foreign'. Owing to this acceptance and
friendly living conditions, Australia is one of the most sought after travel and work
destination, especially among students, owing to prestigious universities in the country and
more importantly, the friendly living conditions that enable an immigrant to migrate overseas
to a new place.
Australia's culture is heavily influenced by the Western culture, primarily Britain, a culture
whose elements are spread throughout the world. It is yet another reason that a foreigner can
adjust well in the country, as one may find various practices and symbols of the Western way
of life just like one may find them in one's own hometown. The resemblance of Australia to
the whole world by virtue of cultural resemblance makes it easy for a foreigner to settle and
home in Australia (Scerri, Edwards & Foley, 2019).
Being an egalitarian society, Australia and Australians are firm believers of 'fair go' in
all walks of life from education to healthcare. The pursuit to attain equal opportunities for
everyone, irrespective of nationality, also manifests in the publicaly financed healthcare and
education system. This is, however, in total contrast to the living environment of Australia's

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parent culture, Britain. Unlike Britain, Australia has shunned the class system from its day to
day life which is yet another example of the egalitarianism of the country.
Egalitarianism
The egalitarianism in Australia however has a downside, owing to the deep
rootedness of its egalitarianism. It has been termed as the 'tall poppy syndrome'. This can be
seen in practice in every nook and corner of the society and especially places of higher
cultural diversity like the Bendigo Chinatown. People who have accumulated higher amounts
of the wealth than average are looked down upon in the society as they deprive others from
possessing the average amount of wealth, hence disrupting the economic balance and
uniformity among people and taking Australia away from the egalitarian it is (Nunn, 2017).
Australian geography also plays a major role in its diversity, along with the man-made
structures. It is not only the government that takes an interest in making it an inclusive place
for all but also the people who are keen to know and learn about different cultures. Places of
such cultural differences like the Golden Dragon Museum are visited by the natives more
than Chinese immigrants or travellers. Such excursions not only entertain people but make
them more open, liberal and accepting towards people from different walks of life and
different orientations (Healy, 2018).

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Research and survey
Studies have shown repeatedly that Australia is the most open minded nations on
Earth. It was proven once again by a postal survey in 2018 on the theme of marriage equality.
Nearly 62% people voted in the favor of same sex marriage, spreading the message that
Australians are truly liberals and progressive. This liberalness is exercised by the natives in
all walks of life which makes this country a homely place for immigrants (Rodgers, 2016).
Owing to the welcoming and humble personalities of people and the country as a whole, the
United Nation's Economist Intelligence Unit's quality of life index places Australia on the top
of the 'most prosperous nations' list. Along with natural wealth, Aussies have, in a very
balanced manner, cultivated materialistic wealth as well, according to the Development
Report (Butler, Holloway & Marriott, 2019).
Australia, nicknamed as the 'lucky country', almost half a century ago, houses 650,000
indigenous people, which is 2.8% of the total population. Nearly a quarter of the population
holds 'foreign' ethnicity. Another quarter of the population is first generation Australian,
meaning the first generation to be born in Australia to a non-native couple. Such statistics and
data tells a lot about the fundamental values of the country wherein people from different
backgrounds and walks of life can live in harmony and peace with each other. The binding
agent of the country is its belief in equality for all which is manifested in the actions of the
public and the government and makes it a sound place for immigrants (Watson, 2019).
Conclusion
From the above analysis it can be stated that these values reflect in their art and
architecture as well, like the Bendigo Art Gallery and the Golden Dragon Museum that are
the centers of attraction and exhibit less or no ethnic significance. The idea of housing and
promoting a 'foreign' culture through these monuments speaks volumes about the

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wholesomeness, welcoming nature of Australia and Australians and a safe and protective
living experience for a 'foreigner' in this country. It is a way for tourism and promotion of the
awareness of the artifacts in the country.

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References
Bendigo Art Gallery, (2019). Overview. Retrieved from
https://www.bendigoregion.com.au/bendigo-art-gallery
Butler, M., Holloway, L., & Marriott, K. (2019). A Closer Look: Multi-Sensory Accessible
Art Translations. In The 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on
Computers and Accessibility (pp. 594-596).
Healy, R. (2018). Unfamiliar Places, Local Voices: Four Emerging Curatorial Narratives in
Australia (2010–2016). Fashion Curating: Critical Practice in the Museum and
Beyond, 57-72.
Nunn, P. (2017). Problem Pictures: Women and Men in Victorian Painting. Routledge.
Rodgers, G. (2016). ‘Soundscapes’ at the National Gallery, London (8 July–6 September
2015). Tempo, 70(275), 92-94.
Scerri, M., Edwards, D., & Foley, C. (2019). Design, architecture and the value to tourism. Tourism
Economics, 25(5), 695-710.
Watson, P. (2019). A Gallery of Characters: Real Persons and Fictitious Types in Epigram. A
Companion to Ancient Epigram, 43-58.