By Jed Lanyon
Local Wurundjeri women Jacqui Wandin and Aunty Kim Wandin were shortlisted for the Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition.
The exhibition attracts a diversity of work from both recognised and emerging artists, including local artists and is a must see exhibition for sculpture lovers.
Jacqui said that she was surprised to be shortlisted for the award and believes that she and Kim are the first Indigenous women to achieve the feat in the annual exhibition’s 19th iteration.
“It’s never happened to me before, I felt really proud,” Jacqui said.
“I never set out to do a specific thing, it just came to me really. And that’s why it was unique.”
Jacqui said that her sculpture was made from the burl of a manna gum tree and that it tells the story of Bunjil (wedge tailed eagle) and two black swans that are his wives.
“It tells of a Dreamtime story for us,” she said.
“It’s what I created through knowing my stories through my people.”
The markings on her sculpture highlight water flowing from Mt Riddell down through Coranderrk and Badger Creek into Birrarung (Yarra River).
“It was just a piece that I had for a while. I just started working on it and things started emerging from that.”
Jacqui’s cousin Kim created a Luk (eel) trap using red wire.
“Kim has done weaving for a long time now… It’s fantastic, she tried something different to create something traditional and it was a really beautiful thing.
Both sculptures are on display at the Yering Sculpture Exhibition at Yering Station until 8 December.
For more information, visit https://www.yarravalleyarts.org.au/sculpture-beh5x.
