New Hoarding for University Square
Public Artwork
Melbourne, Victoria
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Curation
Design Development
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Public Art
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Mixed Cultural First Nations Artist Lisa Waup
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City of Melbourne
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WRAP
A significant new artwork by First Nations artist Lisa Waup now transforms the hoarding surrounding University Square, marking the beginning of a multi-stage public artwork that will unfold across the site over the coming years.
Visible at the heart of the precinct, this large-scale installation offers a powerful glimpse into a broader vision for the place. While works continue behind the scenes, the hoarding stands as both a celebration of Country and an invitation to consider the deep histories, stories and connections that have shaped this site for more than 65,000 years.
Drawing on her distinctive monochromatic visual language, Waup's work is characterised by intricate black and white linework, rhythmic mark-making and layered symbolism. Throughout her practice, these visual elements speak to pathways, movement, gathering, connection and the enduring relationships between people and Country. Here, the artwork reflects the networks of knowledge, stories and cultural connections that have existed across this landscape for millennia.
Our Role
Working closely with artist Lisa Waup and the City of Melbourne, WRAP supported the translation of Waup's original artwork into a large-scale applied hoarding design for University Square. Through a collaborative design development process, the team carefully adapted key visual elements, to create a striking public-facing artwork that responds to the scale and context of the site.
Impact
The resulting installation celebrates stories of Country, movement and connection, transforming the construction hoarding into a meaningful cultural expression and establishing the first chapter of a significant multi-year artistic journey for University Square.
→ ARTIST/S
Lisa Waup
Lisa Waup is a mixed-cultural First Nations artist and curator, born in Narrm (Melbourne). Her multidisciplinary practice spans weaving, printmaking, photography, sculpture, fashion, and digital art. With a deep connection to the symbolic power of materials, Lisa explores the importance of tracing lost histories and ancestral relationships, and broader narratives relating to Country, motherhood, history, and time.
Lisa has exhibited extensively, with solo exhibitions at Koorie Heritage Trust (Naarm), Linden New Art Gallery (Naarm) and ReDot Gallery (Singapore). Her work was recently displayed at the National Gallery of Victoria as part of Melbourne Now, in Current at McClelland Gallery (Naarm) and is held in public and private collections across Australia and internationally. Lisa holds a Masters in Contemporary Art from the University of Melbourne, is a lecturer and tutor at the Victorian College of the Arts.
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