Painted on Bidjigal Country

Located on the main St George TAFENSW campus

Medium: Aerosol and acrylic paint on brick and panelling.

This project at TAFENSW St George campus resulted in 3 community workshops and 2 collaborative and community-based murals over a period of weeks.

The first mural is designed to commemorate NAIDOC Week 2023, with the theme ‘For Our Elders’. I ran two creative workshops with Elders, knowledge holders and local mob to brainstorm and develop ideas for the mural’s design. The ideas and desires that came out of these workshops shaped the mural and its’ subject matter. During this process, I consulted with Aunty Barb Simms who had a heavy influence and the final approval on the mural design.

This 15x16m mural celebrates NAIDOC Week and creates a welcoming space for First Nations and non-First Nations people on the TAFENSW Campus. While being a warm and welcoming feature, the mural also aims to educate and inform on native plants and animals as well as encourage the public to take care of Country.

The second mural was created and designed to celebrate Refugee Week 2023, with the theme ‘Finding Freedom’. I co-facilitated a workshop with educator Paula Abood and TAFE students who identify as refugees or migrants. Together, we decided on a design that highlights the incredible multiculturalism and diversity that thrives on the St George TAFENSW Campus. The mural features a quote from activist, author and educator ‘bell hooks’ and details the word ‘freedom’ in over 40 languages. On the right side of the mural reads an Acknowledgement of Country, unique to this location.

Some of these languages include English, Thai, Ukrainian, Wiradjuri, Tagalog, French, Bengali and many, many more - the languages of TAFENSW St George.

Both of these murals were incredibly collaborative - the designs developed by community and many people pitching in to help. The Refugee Week mural consists of several people’s careful handwriting and tracing.