At more than five metres tall, new ‘superhero' will rise above Circular Quay
Sydney's heroic statues of explorers, colonial governors and architects will soon have a new imposing counterpoint – a monumental bronze sculpture of a powerful Aboriginal woman, half human and half whale, marked for Circular Quay.
Badjgama Ngunda Whuliwulawala (Black Women Rising) has been commissioned for public space at the front of Lendlease's luxury residential One Circular Quay tower and the new Waldorf Astoria hotel, above the original shoreline where the Tank Stream once met the harbour.
The multi-million dollar bronze is the work of Dharawal and Yuin artist Alison Page, and a group of 20 local Aboriginal women, who want the imposing sculpture to become a site of cultural pride and a reminder of the resilience of Indigenous women and their deep spiritual connection to Country.
The first Aboriginal councillor in the City of Sydney's 180-year history, Yvonne Weldon, has long called for a review of the city's 25 colonial statues as part of a push to 'truth-telling'. This sculpture, says Page, will speak to 'female power in a white man's world'.
'This CBD is peppered with monuments of white men in history, and they are done in way that is colonial; it's all linear, they are standing on sandstone plinths and doing something heroic,' says Page. 'This bronze bubbles at the base, as if she's forming out of water, as if she is this superhero with her energy and essence living within the Aboriginal women of Sydney today. She is everyone, every black woman, every mother, daughter, sister, aunty. She is Country.'
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Rising 5.5 metres tall, the imposing bronze mermaid-like form will be constructed at the UAP foundry in Brisbane, the same forge that made Lindy Lee's 13-tonne serpentine sculpture, Ouroboros, the most expensive work in NGA history.
It will be created from 73 individually cast 12mm-thick bronze panels which together will weigh 4.5 tonnes.
Each will be aligned, welded and finished smooth by hand into a single piece without an internal supporting structure. It will be delivered by road whole from Brisbane, at the insistence of Page, who does not want to diminish the power of the bronze figure as she makes the journey between the two capital cities.
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Sydney Morning Herald
10 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
At more than five metres tall, new ‘superhero' will rise above Circular Quay
Sydney's heroic statues of explorers, colonial governors and architects will soon have a new imposing counterpoint – a monumental bronze sculpture of a powerful Aboriginal woman, half human and half whale, marked for Circular Quay. Badjgama Ngunda Whuliwulawala (Black Women Rising) has been commissioned for public space at the front of Lendlease's luxury residential One Circular Quay tower and the new Waldorf Astoria hotel, above the original shoreline where the Tank Stream once met the harbour. The multi-million dollar bronze is the work of Dharawal and Yuin artist Alison Page, and a group of 20 local Aboriginal women, who want the imposing sculpture to become a site of cultural pride and a reminder of the resilience of Indigenous women and their deep spiritual connection to Country. The first Aboriginal councillor in the City of Sydney's 180-year history, Yvonne Weldon, has long called for a review of the city's 25 colonial statues as part of a push to 'truth-telling'. This sculpture, says Page, will speak to 'female power in a white man's world'. 'This CBD is peppered with monuments of white men in history, and they are done in way that is colonial; it's all linear, they are standing on sandstone plinths and doing something heroic,' says Page. 'This bronze bubbles at the base, as if she's forming out of water, as if she is this superhero with her energy and essence living within the Aboriginal women of Sydney today. She is everyone, every black woman, every mother, daughter, sister, aunty. She is Country.' Loading Rising 5.5 metres tall, the imposing bronze mermaid-like form will be constructed at the UAP foundry in Brisbane, the same forge that made Lindy Lee's 13-tonne serpentine sculpture, Ouroboros, the most expensive work in NGA history. It will be created from 73 individually cast 12mm-thick bronze panels which together will weigh 4.5 tonnes. Each will be aligned, welded and finished smooth by hand into a single piece without an internal supporting structure. It will be delivered by road whole from Brisbane, at the insistence of Page, who does not want to diminish the power of the bronze figure as she makes the journey between the two capital cities.
The Age
10 hours ago
- The Age
At more than five metres tall, new ‘superhero' will rise above Circular Quay
Sydney's heroic statues of explorers, colonial governors and architects will soon have a new imposing counterpoint – a monumental bronze sculpture of a powerful Aboriginal woman, half human and half whale, marked for Circular Quay. Badjgama Ngunda Whuliwulawala (Black Women Rising) has been commissioned for public space at the front of Lendlease's luxury residential One Circular Quay tower and the new Waldorf Astoria hotel, above the original shoreline where the Tank Stream once met the harbour. The multi-million dollar bronze is the work of Dharawal and Yuin artist Alison Page, and a group of 20 local Aboriginal women, who want the imposing sculpture to become a site of cultural pride and a reminder of the resilience of Indigenous women and their deep spiritual connection to Country. The first Aboriginal councillor in the City of Sydney's 180-year history, Yvonne Weldon, has long called for a review of the city's 25 colonial statues as part of a push to 'truth-telling'. This sculpture, says Page, will speak to 'female power in a white man's world'. 'This CBD is peppered with monuments of white men in history, and they are done in way that is colonial; it's all linear, they are standing on sandstone plinths and doing something heroic,' says Page. 'This bronze bubbles at the base, as if she's forming out of water, as if she is this superhero with her energy and essence living within the Aboriginal women of Sydney today. She is everyone, every black woman, every mother, daughter, sister, aunty. She is Country.' Loading Rising 5.5 metres tall, the imposing bronze mermaid-like form will be constructed at the UAP foundry in Brisbane, the same forge that made Lindy Lee's 13-tonne serpentine sculpture, Ouroboros, the most expensive work in NGA history. It will be created from 73 individually cast 12mm-thick bronze panels which together will weigh 4.5 tonnes. Each will be aligned, welded and finished smooth by hand into a single piece without an internal supporting structure. It will be delivered by road whole from Brisbane, at the insistence of Page, who does not want to diminish the power of the bronze figure as she makes the journey between the two capital cities.
West Australian
17 hours ago
- West Australian
Standing up for rights: a lifetime of advocacy honoured
Growing up on an Aboriginal mission, every aspect of Aunty Millie Ingram's life was controlled. So when she challenged an unfair dismissal at the chocolate factory where she worked in the 1950s, Ms Ingram surprised herself. "Coming off a mission under the control of mission managers, that wasn't the done thing," the Wiradjuri woman told AAP. "I stood up for myself and I won." Ms Ingram had moved from central west NSW, where she grew up on Erambie Mission, near Cowra, to Redfern to find work. She started working at the factory, enrolled in night courses and so began a lifetime of steadfast activism for Aboriginal people. This advocacy spans decades across government, education, land rights and grassroots initiatives. "I've had a lot of experience," Ms Ingram said. "But my main experience is being Aboriginal ... I was surrounded by wonderful people, not only my own family, and particularly all the matriarchal people." The "jewel in the crown" for her is the establishment of the Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care program, which supports local Elders. At 85, and an Elder herself, Ms Ingram remains on the program's board and doubts she'll ever stop working. An appointment as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia for significant service to the Indigenous community of NSW in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours List, spurs her on even more. "If this gives me a voice and a platform that I can keep advocating for us to become a better Australia, that's what I'll do," Ms Ingram said. In the Torres Strait, Harold Matthew hopes being awarded a Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia for service to the Indigenous community of Thursday Island can inspire others. He co-founded the Torres Strait Island Running Festival and Thursday Island Deadly Runners, but when he became a member of the Indigenous Marathon Project in 2014, he wasn't a fan of long-distance running. Seeing the physical, mental and spiritual health benefits of running, Mr Matthew was hooked, and he's proud to be bringing his community along for the trip. "I can see the ripples in the community," he said. "In the mornings and evenings you always see people out on the island running and walking and I think it's so unreal how far we've taken this." Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been recognised for their contributions in health, community advocacy, education and land rights including inaugural co-chairs of the First People's Assembly of Victoria, Geraldine Atkinson and Marcus Stewart. Dr Atkinson was appointed an officer (AO) of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the Indigenous community, to education, to First Nations self-determination and to reconciliation, while Mr Stewart was appointed an AM for significant service to Indigenous advocacy. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
