Max Hatzoglou
The Friends of Kororoit Creek are excited to announce that volcanic rock art based on elements of local Aborignal seasons will be made and installed mid-year at The Bug Rug along the creek by artists Fiona Clarke and Kenneth McKean.
After consulting with the elders at the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Aboriginal Corporation, the artists will make the rock art which tells stories of Aboriginal culture and life.
The installation will be based on using elements of the local Aboriginal seasons, including signs of nature such as insects and animals which made the First Nation people aware of the changing seasons or weather.
Aboriginal Clarke and non-Aboriginal artist McKean said the rocks will have symbols that tell stories of the Indigenous culture.
“Some of these elemental signs will be etched or painted onto, (or into) stones that will be placed around a large circle,” they said.
“The circle has more than one meaning in Aboriginal culture. In this case it represents firstly the annual cycle of the year.
“Other important meanings include as a symbol for a meeting place, a lake or body of water, as part of the running water symbol.”
The artists said the circle of rocks will be relatable to many cultures so everyone can come and learn from Indigenous artwork.
The artwork will also be an acknowledgement of First Nations people and their history.
“It has many uses but will honour the Original First Nations custodian’s past, present and future who took extremely good care of this land for 40 – 60k + years,” the artists said.
The artwork will also feature stones that will glow in the dark to highlight the symbols at night giving them a constellatory effect.
The project has been supported by Melbourne Water, Brimbank City Council, Ford and Global Giving, The Hunt Club Community and Arts Centre and the Metro Tunnel Project’s Rail Projects Alliance.
