Aboriginal art in contemporary architecture
Architecture in Australia is starting to incorporate Aboriginal art on a larger scale than anytime before. A sign of Australians reconciling with their past?
A building showing an Aboriginal leader’s face
‘The Portrait’ building in Melbourne. The building will be built on the site of the former Carlton brewery. Source: Herald Sun
If plans go ahead Melbourne’s suburb Carlton could feature a 32-storey building showing the portrait of Wurundjeri leader William Barak in 2014.
Barak was a tribal elder and artist who was an influential spokesman for Aboriginal social justice. He was renowned for working to bridge the divide between black and white Australia and died in 1903.
The architecture firm said they wanted to design something to represent the deep history of Melbourne. They created the design in consultation with members of the Wurundjeri community and William Barak’s descendants, both of whom support the plan.
Horizontal white panels will create the illusion of the face but be distanced from residents’ balconies.
In an online reader poll more than 64% supported the idea [1].
Fact William Barak’s image also features on the two-dollar coin.
Last updated: 7 November 2012 | Out of respect for Aboriginal culture I use Indigenous sources as much as possible.
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