Artwork considerations for the Cemetery

 

 

Throughout the consultative process there have been many considerations and expressions regarding the appropriateness of image/content/artwork to the cemetery location.  Prominent amongst those considerations has been the need for the completed artworks to express respect for the sensitivities of the community.  Subtlety and  reflection also feature at the forefront of community consensus as does the expression of cultural identity, history and  the natural environment of Serpentine.

The natural environment is particularly important as the cemetery is designated Bush Forever Site No 371 and effectively restricts future cemetery expansion.  A new cemetery is mooted for the nearby locality of Karnup and could place the existing Serpentine cemetery within a predominantly historical context.

In consideration of the impact potential vandalism and the natural elements could have towards the artworks, they will need to be structurally and technically excellent, able to withstand the test of time, requiring minimum maintenance and remain permanent for the foreseeable future.  That's about the standard call for non ephemeral public art.

Serpentine PCYC workshops

TJ, Alex and Clark - discussing this thing called "art making"

It was great to see the creative action at the PCYC workshops. Thanks to the efforts of Mark Warner (club President) everyone was keen and ready to get into the art making straight away.  During the preceding week Mark had spent some time informing all interested about the project, building up interest and enthusiasm, and when we arrived for the first workshop everyone was quite excited about the project and eager to be involved.  After the initial introduction to the project, Gloria presented a couple of short films produced by Karri Ann Kearing Salmon.  The films featured local community members from the nearby town of Pinjarra in the dramatic portrayal of local Nyungar traditional and contemporary stories.  The films were both humorous and poignant, and provided participants with some new knowledge that will help them to consider the project within a cross cultural context and to better appreciate Nyungar cultural connections to the region.

Everyone is busy, busy, busy