BIRRUNGA WIRADYURI
The last 250 years

2020
acrylic on canvas
120 x 150cm

This work is composed in two parts.

The main body of the work represents the beauty of flow, connection, symbiosis, relationships, patterns, governance, practices protocols, spirituality, timings, ceremonies, land care, long vision and successes of our Sovereign Aboriginal Cultures, in all our diversity, across the entire continent including Lutruwita (Tasmania).

The second part is the very top 2 or 3 centimetres which represents sudden change with the beginning of colonisation in the form of two rows of laid bricks. The bricks represent the exotic practices of unsustainable resource extraction and the use of same to produce constructs that appear focused on a cycle of tearing out to build upon without connection, empathy or long range viability in mind.

The tops of the bricks are white. This scale of this piece illustrates the most recent 9,050 years of our continuous Aboriginal Cultural presences, practices, sovereignty with the last 250 years represented in the 2 rows of bricks at the at the very top. I’m always fascinated by the contrasting patterns of Culture and of colonisation.

In our First Nations Cultures there are only natural, organic shapes and lines. Nothing straight or at right angles.

Perhaps it comes from being connected closely to Country rather than aiming to tower high above.