ARTWORK ANALYSIS FOR THE ARCHIBULL PRIZE 2016
School: Jugiong Public School
Name: ‘Murrum-Bridget’: A journey of Exploration, Discovering and Learning along the Murrumbidgee River in the Jugiong Valley.
Allocated industry: Wool
What years and KLA classes were involved: K-6 - Cross curricular Project Based Learning.
Theme: ‘Feeding and Powering a Hungry Nation is a Shared Responsibility.’
The future of the Australian wool industry is dependent on the practices and management skills of our farmers and graziers in partnership with our broader communities and government. Our artwork celebrates the past, present and future generations of the farming families of the Jugiong Valley, as wool growers and intergenerational custodians of the land.
Concept:
Murrum-Bridget examines and symbolises the past, the present and the future of the rich Jugiong Valley on the Murrumbidgee River. Jugiong has played a significant role in the Australian Wool industry – following Hume and Hovell's visit on their route to Victoria in 1824, Jugiong run was taken up by settler Henry O'Brien in 1825.
The wool industry has remained strong in the valley and today continues to produce fine merino wool. Many families have been in the valley for generations and will be here for many more to come so sustainable practices are the life blood of our wool industry and our community. Enabling the students to research something they know so well, in depth and from different perspectives, has given them an appreciation of their heritage and their future.
The simplicity of Bridget’s design makes its’ own impact. The Murrumbidgee River has been central to sustaining life here for thousands of years and it meanders its’ way around and along Bridget’s body just as the river does around Jugiong.
The chosen colours are symbolic of the landscape of Jugiong.
RED is the color of strength, romance, excitement and vitality. The deeper reds create an image of the opulence and power of wool. But, the red also symbolises the struggles, dangers or threats across the centuries – including bushfires and spilled blood!
The OCHRE reflects the colour of the Murrumbidgee River and symbolises the ancient indigenous landscape of the valley. Aboriginal people throughout Australia have always used ochre for ceremonial body painting, traditional rituals and as a paint for artefacts and message diagrams associated with their nomadic lifestyle. Jugiong was an important meeting and trading place for Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal people and the landscape is still significant.
The twenty-four PADDOCKS represent the 24 students at the school and the families and others who farm, work on, or are supported by the wool industry. The patchwork of the paddocks is symbolic of the diversity of the families who have farmed and cared for the land and who seek to ensure sustainability into the future.
The most universal meanings of GREEN are strongly associated with nature. In today’s world, we are increasingly concerned with preserving our planet ecologically. The lush green of the grass symbolises the fertile valley and the sustainable farming practices that are embedded in the valley.
The SHEARING COMBS which ring the grass, represent the end product of the hard work of the graziers and the diversity of support occupations needed to produce the best wool in the world.
The POM-POMS represent the uses of wool. Wool is such a diverse, complete and exciting product. The colours, designs and products of wool are endless. It is timeless, it’s glamourous, it’s flexible. It’s NATURAL and truly sustainable. Wool changes with the fashion of the day like no other product.
Murrum-Bridget has challenged the students to ‘step outside’ and investigate something so familiar in a deep and new way. It has given them a deeper understanding of the lifestyle and industry they take for granted.
Murrum-Bridget has evoked pride in our past, enabled a focus on the future and has affirmed their pride in growing up in a community that contributes so much to the fabric of Australia.
Stylistic influences:
Our artwork on Murrum-Bridget has been inspired by:
What makes your Archibull unique?
Our calf, Murrum-Bridget, is unique on several levels.
Bridget is a celebration of our community. It’s a personal journey for each student and the families of the Jugiong Valley. Bridget has enabled the students to research and acknowledge the importance of the indigenous landscape, the colonial and more recent history and link it to the present and future wool growers (many of whom will be the current students as the next generation).
Bridget has been the awakening of the students to a new appreciation of their homes and landscape and has developed an awareness in them of the importance of their place in the future of the Australian wool industry.
Our artwork represents the valley with the ancient Murrumbidgee River at the centre of the community and it has captured the imagination of our community. Grandparents, parents and friends have all helped – making pom-poms, painting, transporting Bridget and following her exploits. Bridget has been a community collaboration and celebration.
Murrum-Bridget represents our pride in what we live everyday!
Name: ‘Murrum-Bridget’: A journey of Exploration, Discovering and Learning along the Murrumbidgee River in the Jugiong Valley.
Allocated industry: Wool
What years and KLA classes were involved: K-6 - Cross curricular Project Based Learning.
Theme: ‘Feeding and Powering a Hungry Nation is a Shared Responsibility.’
The future of the Australian wool industry is dependent on the practices and management skills of our farmers and graziers in partnership with our broader communities and government. Our artwork celebrates the past, present and future generations of the farming families of the Jugiong Valley, as wool growers and intergenerational custodians of the land.
Concept:
Murrum-Bridget examines and symbolises the past, the present and the future of the rich Jugiong Valley on the Murrumbidgee River. Jugiong has played a significant role in the Australian Wool industry – following Hume and Hovell's visit on their route to Victoria in 1824, Jugiong run was taken up by settler Henry O'Brien in 1825.
The wool industry has remained strong in the valley and today continues to produce fine merino wool. Many families have been in the valley for generations and will be here for many more to come so sustainable practices are the life blood of our wool industry and our community. Enabling the students to research something they know so well, in depth and from different perspectives, has given them an appreciation of their heritage and their future.
The simplicity of Bridget’s design makes its’ own impact. The Murrumbidgee River has been central to sustaining life here for thousands of years and it meanders its’ way around and along Bridget’s body just as the river does around Jugiong.
The chosen colours are symbolic of the landscape of Jugiong.
RED is the color of strength, romance, excitement and vitality. The deeper reds create an image of the opulence and power of wool. But, the red also symbolises the struggles, dangers or threats across the centuries – including bushfires and spilled blood!
The OCHRE reflects the colour of the Murrumbidgee River and symbolises the ancient indigenous landscape of the valley. Aboriginal people throughout Australia have always used ochre for ceremonial body painting, traditional rituals and as a paint for artefacts and message diagrams associated with their nomadic lifestyle. Jugiong was an important meeting and trading place for Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal people and the landscape is still significant.
The twenty-four PADDOCKS represent the 24 students at the school and the families and others who farm, work on, or are supported by the wool industry. The patchwork of the paddocks is symbolic of the diversity of the families who have farmed and cared for the land and who seek to ensure sustainability into the future.
The most universal meanings of GREEN are strongly associated with nature. In today’s world, we are increasingly concerned with preserving our planet ecologically. The lush green of the grass symbolises the fertile valley and the sustainable farming practices that are embedded in the valley.
The SHEARING COMBS which ring the grass, represent the end product of the hard work of the graziers and the diversity of support occupations needed to produce the best wool in the world.
The POM-POMS represent the uses of wool. Wool is such a diverse, complete and exciting product. The colours, designs and products of wool are endless. It is timeless, it’s glamourous, it’s flexible. It’s NATURAL and truly sustainable. Wool changes with the fashion of the day like no other product.
Murrum-Bridget has challenged the students to ‘step outside’ and investigate something so familiar in a deep and new way. It has given them a deeper understanding of the lifestyle and industry they take for granted.
Murrum-Bridget has evoked pride in our past, enabled a focus on the future and has affirmed their pride in growing up in a community that contributes so much to the fabric of Australia.
Stylistic influences:
Our artwork on Murrum-Bridget has been inspired by:
- Our work with a local Aboriginal artist Roy Levett. ‘Jacko’ has spent time with the students teaching them about the landscape and the culture, of our local Wiradjuri people and he has enabled the students to experiment with colours and techniques to make artworks. This impacted on their designs, colour choices and chosen techniques.
- Naïve art which is simple, unaffected and unsophisticated, and best describes the style of art made by the students of Jugiong PS.
What makes your Archibull unique?
Our calf, Murrum-Bridget, is unique on several levels.
Bridget is a celebration of our community. It’s a personal journey for each student and the families of the Jugiong Valley. Bridget has enabled the students to research and acknowledge the importance of the indigenous landscape, the colonial and more recent history and link it to the present and future wool growers (many of whom will be the current students as the next generation).
Bridget has been the awakening of the students to a new appreciation of their homes and landscape and has developed an awareness in them of the importance of their place in the future of the Australian wool industry.
Our artwork represents the valley with the ancient Murrumbidgee River at the centre of the community and it has captured the imagination of our community. Grandparents, parents and friends have all helped – making pom-poms, painting, transporting Bridget and following her exploits. Bridget has been a community collaboration and celebration.
Murrum-Bridget represents our pride in what we live everyday!