In celebration of NAIDOC Week, yesterday the Eye and Ear was proud to unveil its new Aboriginal Art installation, located next to Cafe 1863 on the ground floor of the hospital.
The launch was recognised by Uncle Herb Patten, descended from the Gunaikurnai, Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri peoples, prolific artist, gum leaf player and elder in the community. He gave an Acknowledgment of Country before giving us an intimate gum leaf performance playing along to the song Sleep Walk by Santo and Johnny, with the gum leaf replacing the steel guitar. His performance and skill using the gum leaf, which features prominently in the new installation, made the event truly special.
The installation features Mandy Nicholson’s Mannagum Leaf Boon-marrit-tak gooreen Biik, Boon-marrit-tak gooreen gulinj, which translates to ‘healthy country, healthy people’. This painting is synonymous with the Eye and Ear, featuring on our Reconciliation Action Plans and adorning the wall outside of our hospital above our Welcome Space, located on the corner of Victoria Parade and Gisborne Street.
Next to Mandy’s painting is our newest artwork commissioned by artist Graham Gilbert. Named ‘On the Brink of Extinction’, this painting of the platypus was inspired by the marsupial’s resilience, with Graham explaining:
“Platypuses sense everything by feel and vibrations. They can’t see under the water. They show us how important is it to hear and sense the environment around us. They emphasise that you don’t need to have the ability of every sense to be strong and have normality.”
As a specialist hospital that treats patients across Victoria with hearing and vision difficulties, this animal is a very appropriate symbol for us. We are delighted to now have this painting on display in our hospital.
In addition, these artworks are surrounded by beautiful sheets of decorated glass. The glass comes from Wathaurong Glass, which was created by an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation using a slumped glass technique to incorporate Aboriginal art into its pieces. The glass panels were designed especially for our hospital and combine features from the artworks they surround.
The Wathaurong Glass and Aboriginal Artwork installation is another visual statement of our hospital’s commitment to providing a culturally safe environment for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, and to closing the healthcare gap for First Nations peoples with eye and ear, nose and throat medical conditions.
You can learn more about Aboriginal Art at the Eye and Ear here.
