TAPESTRY TALKS HISTORY

Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney’s monolithic, three-dimensional tapestry for the upcoming Footscray Hospital has recently been featured in the Maribyrnong/Hobsons Bay Star Weekly.

The tapestry will span two levels inside the main entrance of the hospital, due to open in 2O25.  The artwork’s design is inspired by microscopic images of river reeds from the Maribyrnong River and skeletal drawing of local native flora and fauna.

Working closely with master weavers from the Australian Tapestry Workshop, Welcome to Country – now you see me: seeing the invisible will be woven into a tapestry spanning 4.2 x 1O metres over the next 12 months by Chris Cochius, Amy Cornall, Leonie Bessant, Saffron Gordon, Tim Gresham, Pamela Joyce, David Pearce, Emma Sulzer.

“River reeds were historically given to people as a sign of safe passage and friendship…as the hospital is where most people are born these days, we thought it is a nice welcome to them…but also on the flip side, it is also the place where a lot of people’s lives end, so river reeds can extend safe passage to leaving this realm and going to the other.” – Maree Clarke

Read the full article by Jennifer Pittorino here.

Image: Welcome to Country – now you see me: seeing the invisible (work in progress) 2O24, woven by Chris Cochius, Amy Cornall, Leonie Bessant, Saffron Gordon, Tim Gresham, Pamela Joyce, David Pearce, Emma Sulzer, wool and cotton, 4.2 x 1Om. Image courtesy of Australian Tapestry Workshop.