❀ The history remains
Hold a little piece of history in your hands… or at least that’s what I hope it feels like. As with many of my paintings, this little piece has had a lot of other paintings underneath her. I love that you can see her texture and history.
I’ve included an embedded “Villawood Championship” badge which I bought from the op shop because I loved the colours. I was worried at first because of the negative connotations associated with Villawood (i.e. detention centre), but then I read up on Wikipedia about the history of Villawood.
To start with the Aboriginal tribe of Gandangara first lived on this land, then it was colonised in the 1840s where farmers had a massive wild dog problem to contend with. From the 1950s it was home to a large public housing estate, that gave rise to the infamous ‘Bronx Boys” in the 90s.
What really surprised me though was that the shameful detention centre was actually originally a hostel for post-war refugees…so somehow a place built to house and welcome refugees and immigrants became one of our worst, “most prison-like” detention centres which was ordered to be shut down in 2008 by the human rights commission 🤯
Anyway, all this rambling is to say I love putting layers of paintings under my paintings because it’s just like how history impacts and affects what we see now. We can’t often see what has gone on before, but it still makes a difference to the final product.
I chose to put gum leaves on this one because the they have stood there witnessing it all, and will (hopefully) remain long after we’ve gone. 🍃
She is lovingly hand-painted and handmade by me in my Meanjin studio.
Hold a little piece of history in your hands… or at least that’s what I hope it feels like. As with many of my paintings, this little piece has had a lot of other paintings underneath her. I love that you can see her texture and history.
I’ve included an embedded “Villawood Championship” badge which I bought from the op shop because I loved the colours. I was worried at first because of the negative connotations associated with Villawood (i.e. detention centre), but then I read up on Wikipedia about the history of Villawood.
To start with the Aboriginal tribe of Gandangara first lived on this land, then it was colonised in the 1840s where farmers had a massive wild dog problem to contend with. From the 1950s it was home to a large public housing estate, that gave rise to the infamous ‘Bronx Boys” in the 90s.
What really surprised me though was that the shameful detention centre was actually originally a hostel for post-war refugees…so somehow a place built to house and welcome refugees and immigrants became one of our worst, “most prison-like” detention centres which was ordered to be shut down in 2008 by the human rights commission 🤯
Anyway, all this rambling is to say I love putting layers of paintings under my paintings because it’s just like how history impacts and affects what we see now. We can’t often see what has gone on before, but it still makes a difference to the final product.
I chose to put gum leaves on this one because the they have stood there witnessing it all, and will (hopefully) remain long after we’ve gone. 🍃
She is lovingly hand-painted and handmade by me in my Meanjin studio.
Hold a little piece of history in your hands… or at least that’s what I hope it feels like. As with many of my paintings, this little piece has had a lot of other paintings underneath her. I love that you can see her texture and history.
I’ve included an embedded “Villawood Championship” badge which I bought from the op shop because I loved the colours. I was worried at first because of the negative connotations associated with Villawood (i.e. detention centre), but then I read up on Wikipedia about the history of Villawood.
To start with the Aboriginal tribe of Gandangara first lived on this land, then it was colonised in the 1840s where farmers had a massive wild dog problem to contend with. From the 1950s it was home to a large public housing estate, that gave rise to the infamous ‘Bronx Boys” in the 90s.
What really surprised me though was that the shameful detention centre was actually originally a hostel for post-war refugees…so somehow a place built to house and welcome refugees and immigrants became one of our worst, “most prison-like” detention centres which was ordered to be shut down in 2008 by the human rights commission 🤯
Anyway, all this rambling is to say I love putting layers of paintings under my paintings because it’s just like how history impacts and affects what we see now. We can’t often see what has gone on before, but it still makes a difference to the final product.
I chose to put gum leaves on this one because the they have stood there witnessing it all, and will (hopefully) remain long after we’ve gone. 🍃
She is lovingly hand-painted and handmade by me in my Meanjin studio.
Oil and acrylic paint and plaster on wooden painting panel.
Approx. 20.5cmH x 20.5cmW x 2cmD
Please note these items are handmade so there will be slight differences in size, texture and shape.
To be hung inside only.