Latest news with #Wanju
West Australian
6 days ago
- West Australian
Local artist celebrates culture and community with mural displayed on Shire of Dardanup building
An emerging South West artist is looking to bring the community together with their latest artwork proudly displayed on the Shire of Dardanup building. Local artist Grace Janowicz was selected from a pool of artists to decorate the building, after they won the RCR NAIDOC Week Art Competition, an annual event held by RCR Mining Technologies. Janowicz brought their artwork to life in a week-long live painting session in Eaton. Titled Wanju — which means 'welcome' in Noongar language — the mural is a celebration of place, people and culture. Shire of Dardanup president Tyrrell Gardiner said the artwork strongly resonated with the Shire's own commitment to welcome and include everyone in the community. 'Grace's mural stood out for its bold street-art style and thoughtful reflection of life in the Shire of Dardanup,' Cr Gardiner said. 'It beautifully captures an inclusive and accessible community, Aboriginal culture and connection to country, local sport and events, the Collie River, the Ferguson Valley, and the importance of the new library as a community hub. 'We're incredibly proud to display this artwork that not only highlights the skills of a brilliant young local artist, but also acknowledges the importance of connection to culture, to community, and to one another.' Ms Janowicz said the project pushed them out of their comfort zone, but in the best possible way. 'This is my first large-scale wall painting. I usually work on realistic portraits, collages and oil paintings that explore much darker or more macabre themes, so this was a big shift for me creatively,' they said. Janowicz used bold, vibrant blocks of colour to bring the concept to life, which the artist hoped would be uplifting and meaningful. 'When I look at the mural now, I see strong connections to community and country,' they said. 'There are so many different elements in the design. The figures are represented using traditional symbols for the people, and the river element flows like a path, leading to a central community gathering place. The Aboriginal flag is also an important focal point.' 'I wanted to create something bright and fun to look at, but also something that connects people to the cultural roots of the land.'
Korea Herald
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Why actor Park Jeong-min became a publisher and put audiobook first
Actor Park Jeong-min has introduced a new initiative as the head of his publishing company Muze, aiming to make literature more accessible to readers with visual impairments. The project, titled the 'Listening Novel Project,' launched with the release of Kim Keum-hee's new full-length novel "First Summer, Wanju" as an audiobook. Departing from the conventional practice of releasing print editions first, the audiobook version was completed and distributed ahead of the print release. On April 4, copies of the audiobook were donated to the National Library for the Disabled and other institutions serving visually impaired communities. It will be officially released on the audiobook platform Welaaa April 28, followed by the print edition, April 30. 'When my company's first book 'Saving Work' was published, my father had lost his eyesight,' he said explaining the motivation behind the project at a book talk held Thursday at the National Library of Korea in Seoul. 'It was disheartening that I couldn't show him the book. It led me to think about what kind of books he could still enjoy. That's how the idea of a 'listening novel' came about.' "First Summer, Wanju" follows Son Yeol-mae, a voice actor, who travels to the hometown of a once-close friend who had betrayed her. The audiobook was produced with actors participating gratis. They include Go Min-si, Yum Jung-ah, Choi Yang-rak, Kim Eui-sung, Park Joon-myeon and Ryu Hyun-kyung. Unlike standard audiobooks, the production was structured more like a radio drama, incorporating detailed sound effects and original music by singer-songwriters MRCH and Gureumy. Park added that the project is ongoing, with contracts already signed with additional authors. 'It felt like the characters I had written became clearer through their voices,' author Kim said. 'Usually, the characters spoke in 'my voice,' but this was the first time I realized how many distinct voices were in the story.' The Thursdy book talk was open to readers with visual impairments and their support aides. "In the case of movies, it's difficult to enjoy them without audio descriptions, so I've turned to books more often," said one attendee. 'This audiobook felt so special, (with the different actors and sound effects) it was like a movie to me, making visual impairments feel less like a barrier.' Park, known for his roles in "Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet," Netflix's "The 8 Show" and Coupang Play's "Newtopia," is no stranger to books. He has written a series of columns in a magazine, and published an essay collection titled "Useful Human" (2016). He also previously ran an independent bookstore before founding Muze and publishing its first book, "Saving Work," by journalist Park So-young in 2020. "If there are people who want to tell stories from overlooked places, I wanted to give them the chance to speak," Park said, explaining the reason for starting the publishing company.
