Aboriginal Artwork Unveiled
On 29th Februrary 2012, as an acknowledgement and commitment to Aboriginal health the Rural Clinical School held an unveiling of our new foyer artwork by Tasmanian Aboriginal artist Judith-Rose Thomas. The artwork was commissioned for the Rural Clinical School and is titled 'celebration of raick bourrack (healing)'.
Artist Statement
The artwork tells a story referring to the University of Tasmania Rural Clinical School at Burnie. It depicts how rural medical services care for the people in the isolated areas and rural towns. The stethoscopes represent the medical students and the artwork shows the rural landscape of Burnie and a view of the bay from the Rural Clinical School.
As a descendant of Manalargenna, Cheif of the Cape Portland tribe, the painting draws deeply on my Aboriginal heritage and refers to Symbolism and Spirtualism within the Tasmanian Aboriginal Culture, showing a relationship between the landscape and the Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
The work consists of the Tasmanian Aboriginal petroglyphs, carved by the Aboriginal Ancestors, into rocks in specific areas around Tasmania. The paintings are viewed as a visual language and by isolating the work within a frame preserves the petroglyphsfor future reference. Blue for the water depicts fluid freedom which all aboriginals require to move across the land of their Ancestors.
Judith-Rose Thomas
Modelling compound on MDF boards using acrylic paint.
