Welcome to Country - now you see me: seeing the invisible
Twelve months is a long time to work on any artwork, especially when it involves Maree Clarke (Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba/Mutti Mutti/Boonwurrung) and Mitch Mahoney (Boonwurrung/ Barkindji) working alongside twelve weavers from the Australian Tapestry Workshop to meticulously bring an incredible, collaborative tapestry to life. Welcome to Country: now you see me: seeing the invisible is a commissioned work for the new Footscray Hospital. It will take a elliptical form, hung between two floors of the hospital when it opens in late 2025.
It was quite the privilege to be invited to the Australian Tapestry Workshop in South Melbourne on the 17th of June to experience the second Cutting Off Ceremony for this major tapestry work. Walking into the Australian Tapestry Workshop the space was buzzing with artists, arts workers, philanthropists and partners all anticipating the cutting of the tapestry. In the white room with wooden floors your eye was immediately drawn to the expansive tapestry that was placed centrally, hanging from its loom, waiting patiently for the ceremony to commence. Speaking to the incredible feat, artists Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney elaborated on the conceptual nature of the work and the collaborative practise to ensure the microscopic design turned macro. To fully realise the 10-metre wide and 4.2-metre high tapestry a careful combination of traditional weaving practices and contemporary techniques were utilised. The design of the work itself references the river reeds in their microscopic form. It’s a symbol of the traditional river reed necklaces shared with travellers when crossing Country to represent safe passage and friendship. It was such an honour to listen and learn from renowned artist and curator Maree Clarke as she spoke to the impact of showcasing of First Nations stories and design.
I was quite taken with the Australian Tapestry Workshop building, built in 1885 showcasing period features such as Victorian style columns. It was a juxtaposition to be in an institution which has a colonial past, which was now championing First Nations art and design in a cross cultural sharing of knowledge. Standing on the viewing platform above, looking at the topographical view of the tapestry each element merged seamlessly into another, a truly mesmerising visual. Eventually, hands were adorned with white gloves and a delegation of partners and donors huddled to the back of the tapestry. I was lucky enough to be situated with a perfect line of sight to watch the hands peak through carefully cutting each strand. Maree and Mitch stood centrally behind the vast work interacting with the threads that held its weight. And with that, in the blink of an eye, the Cutting Off Ceremony was officially complete and the fringe of bare strands hung above the intricate tapestry. And when I say intricate, I absolutely mean it, peering over the work you were able to witness each colour, woven strand and pattern from a different perspective.
The bustle of the arts and cultural sector jumped back into its usual cogs and wheels, with people catching up, discussing upcoming projects, sharing inspiration from this spectacular collaboration. This is ultimately when I love to be an observer, watching how people interact, how human nature responds to such a sensitive and limited funding landscape. Ultimately, what rings true it that the commitment of time, funding and artistic endeavour to envision the design from these artists is preserved in an monumental tapestry that will welcome all those who are in its presence. I deeply encourage all to go and see this work in it’s home at the new Footscray Hospital once it is open later this year. A picture simply does not do this justice.
Written by Stella Wadeson