-
Public Art
-
Simone Thomson (Wurundjeri, Yorta Yorta, Wiradjuri)
-
Fred Kroh
CITY OF PORT PHILLIP’S NEW SCULPTURE CELEBRATING FIRST NATIONS CONNECTIONS TO JOURNEYS AND WATERWAYS
Water Journeys traces the paths of water and story across time. Conceived by artist Simone Thomson, the five-metre sculpture evokes the elegant profile of traditional stringybark bark canoes—vessels once shaped from carefully removed sheets of bark, bound and sealed with clay and string to travel rivers, wetlands and bays.
In this form, the artwork speaks to knowledge passed through generations: navigation by currents and stars, the gathering places along banks and estuaries, and the responsibilities of caring for waterways as living systems.
Commissioned by the Port Melbourne Business Authority and made possible through a collective of local retailers via the Creative Australia Grants program with support from the City of Port Phillip, our team worked closely with the artist to translate these narratives into a contemporary public artwork. From concept development, technical drawings, engineering, fabrication and installation, we worked closely with the artist to deliver the final outcome within a tight budget.
The result is both sculpture and vessel—holding memory, inviting reflection, and reaffirming the centrality of water to First Peoples’ and all communities life, culture and connection to Country.
