ipl-logo

Judy Watson Flame Tree Pods Analysis

780 Words4 Pages

Judy Watson’s “Memory scar, cotton tree leaf, grass, brachychiton illawarra flame tree pods” consists of acrylic, graphite, pigment, and acrylic binder medium on a canvas. It was made in 2020 and is an abstract piece sized at 180 x 148.5 cm. Judy Watson studied “all visual art subjects and histories” being especially drawn to printmaking and its processes. This artistic process gave her a sense of direction in comparison to other techniques, constraining her into the use of several processes, involving the use of compositions and layering.

Watson is an Australian based Indigenous contemporary artist, her artworks heavily motivated by her personal experiences, culture, and the natural environment around her. She has created a large scale of …show more content…

This proposes that Watson is bestowing the audience with an exploration of the world she personally connects with. Whereas, with the usage of natural materials and the positioning of them this also creates a representation of fragility and temporariness, once again suggesting that what is depicted is fugitive, reminding all of us about the beauty and delicacy of the environment.

Something that stands out about this piece is the cotton tree leaves that have been used, they have been marked with intricate patterns consisting of both lines and dots. The markings symbolise traditional ceremonies held by Indigenous Australians who make scars on their skin, demonstrating that Watson has used the cotton tree leaves metaphorically to represent the scarring Indigenous Australians have faced from …show more content…

Most notably how her artwork reflects her personal experiences through her symbolism of the marked cotton tree leaves. The leaves were used in traditional ceremonies held by the Indigenous people, which allowed them to make markings on the skin of those who participated. This is widely known as scarification which is used to mark very important events that occur in a person's life. Watson is exemplifying this cultural tradition and bringing awareness to the importance of Indigenous culture and

Show More
Related

  • Review Of Artist Brook Andrews Loop. A Model Of How The World

    878 Words  | 4 Pages

    This disregard of culture is accomplished through the use of Appropriation. Appropriation in Andrews’s artwork leads to irony. Irony is found through the form of cultural patterns, traditionally placed on natural walls, found on a new medium of a man-made wall. The patterns references Andrews’s historical culture of his mother’s tribe of the Wiradjuri people, which, when placed onto a man-made wall loses its cultural significance, symbolising the suppression of Aboriginal culture. Andrews exposes Australian society’s forgetfulness of the basic foundation of Australian art and history in favour of the current art and political scene.

    Read More

  • Review Of Graeme Dixon's Poem 'Coolungar Thieves'

    598 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dixon uses this poetic device to make abstract or unfamiliar ideas concepts more concrete and easier to understand, visualize and remember. This encourages the reader to realize that Indigenous Australians saw people like A. O. Neville, who presided with the policy to remove Aboriginal children from their families, as the devil. This device helps communicate the message by showing how much members of the Stolen Generations have suffered. This also makes the audience understand why this practice has had such a negative and ongoing impact on First Nations

    Read More

  • Mr Don T Scratch My Rolex By Lisa Bellar

    508 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lisa further criticises the lands council for their thirst for riches, evident in lines 22-26: "nothin'but first-class travel, where to now Canberra?" This highlights the disrespectful and horrific treatment of indigenous, provoking anger and irritation towards the land’s council. The theme of land destruction and resulting misery among first nations people are powerfully conveyed through imagery, emotional techniques, and supporting evidence. She has been able to identify atleast two main reasons which invite the reader to accept the subjects identity these include, the lack of protection the lands council is putting in toward this country aswell as how mining not only affects the aboriginals but their future chilldren and generations to come. Throughout the poem, the poet employs vivid imagery, emotional techniques, and enjambment.

    Read More

  • The Influence Of The Australian Outback On Australian Literature And Film

    2992 Words  | 12 Pages

    The Australian outback acts as a significant cultural symbol that embodies the essence of Australian life. The outback takes centre stage in both Wake In Fright and Picnic At Hanging Rock, standing as a powerful backdrop against which both narratives unfold. Through their portrayal of the outback, Wake In Fright and Picnic At Hanging Rock communicate themes of isolation, danger, and the unknown. The vastness and unforgiving nature of the outback represent the physical and emotional isolation experienced by Australians. It reflects the immense challenges faced by those in remote areas, emphasising the sheer resilience and resourcefulness required to survive.

    Read More

  • Shoe Horn Sonata Analysis

    831 Words  | 4 Pages

    The quote ‘I did not have the power to build a memorial, so i wrote a play instead’ reveals to us John Misto’s view on the forgotten heroes of the war, that the POWs deserve just as much respect as the soldiers do. The play was also written to criticise the British and Australian government actions and how they responded to the POWs “Just keep smiling”. This statement that was sent to the POWs reveal to us how out of touch the government is. The composer engages with the concept of distinctively visual using a powerful image of comradeship, friendship and loyalty through Bridie and Sheila’s interactions.

    Read More

  • Australian Graffiti Analysis

    213 Words  | 1 Pages

    Christian Thompson’s series Australian Graffiti involves staged images of the artist wearing Australian flora as a headdress. Thompson has arranged the flowers and leaves into intricate headbands that partially or fully cover his eyes from the viewer. ‘I carry the flowers with me like the most quintessential Australian symbol, a return to a more pagan and traditional symbiosis between man and the natural world. Perhaps the flowers are an extension of this visceral response to my surroundings. Sometimes when I am talking with people I visualise clusters of Warratahs or Banksias protruding from their shoulders or coming out of their mouths, it is with that degree that they are present in my everyday life’.

    Read More

  • Medicine Walk Symbolism

    1710 Words  | 7 Pages

    Through the use of imagery, Richard Wagamese highlights the need to mend one's connections to oneself, others, and the natural environment in his writing. Images of the natural world, especially those of forests and rivers, highlight how everything is connected and how important it is to live sustainably. It symbolizes the process of reestablishing a connection to nature, which is necessary for building resilience on an individual level. Reestablishing a connection with nature is crucial for fostering resilience in people. Modern culture often neglects our relationship with nature, even though it is essential to our health.

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of The Best Collection Of Contemporary Queensland Art

    527 Words  | 3 Pages

    Those artworks explore relationship between painterly and autobiographical languages; interpersonal relationships and female subjectivity; explores the materiality of images and explores gender identity. “Spectra of Birds” an artwork explore the materiality of the images. The artwork represent an abstract images of different species of Australian birds formed by the cartons. “…object suggesting the continual commodification of nature, a world gradually destroying itself, and the transformation of rubbish” in this context, environmental contingencies is her topic. “It is well documented bird populations are in serious decline across the country … including common birds like lorikeets thornbills and honeyeaters have declined dramatically in the past five years, and they 're warning a wave of extinctions could follow.”

    Read More

  • Summary Of Jackie French's Nanberry

    1016 Words  | 5 Pages

    In her book Nanberry, Jackie French portrays colonial life as a very confusing and perplexing time for both the Indigenous Australians and the White British Settlers, albeit in different ways. With the Indigenous Australians confused by the sudden invasion of the white settler (ghosts), and the British Settlers becoming confused by the new sights, smells and culture of ‘Sydney Cove’. Through the characters of Nanberry, Surgeon White and Bennelong, the viewer is shown just how confusing their life was at the time of the first settlement in Australia. Nanberry is one of the main characters in French’s book, and is a prime way through which she portrays colonial life as perplexing and confusing. Nanberry was born into, and partially raised by an Indigenous Australian family, however he was adopted by Surgeon White at the tender age of eight or nine.

    Read More

  • Sensory Imagery In Elie Wiesel's Night

    713 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mary Hill creates a tone of despair in Excerpts from the Trail of Tears Diary by using sensory imagery. In the text, the author uses sensory imagery when she

    Read More

  • The Forks Essay

    1086 Words  | 5 Pages

    250). However, a lack of labels in the artworks at The Forks impeded the degree to which I was able to learn about indigenous culture. Labels can provide contextual information like the artists’ name, the background, the date of creation and insight into the cultural significance of the piece (Forbes, 1940). Additionally, labels assure that the artist is accredited (Forbes, 1940). This is especially important for Indigenous artists, who have historically been underrepresented (Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation, 2023).

    Read More

  • Jack Davis No Sugar And Matt Ottley's Requiem For A Beast

    946 Words  | 4 Pages

    The narrator describes how the Indigenous Australians in the area were forced to leave their land, saying, "The black people are gone, and so are the dingoes" (Ottley, 2007, p. 5). This quote highlights the displacement of Indigenous Australians by white settlers, as well as the impact of their absence on the environment. Moreover, the artwork in the text portrays the Indigenous Australians as dark and shadowy, emphasizing their marginalization and exclusion from mainstream society. Together, these examples demonstrate how power imbalances are present not only between humans, but also between humans and animals, and between different racial groups. The text serves as a commentary on the

    Read More

  • Indie Hyland Explain The Negative Effects On Indigenous People

    741 Words  | 3 Pages

    This piece of art may have been made to document the unauthorised development and use of native lands following British colonisation. Elisha and William might've directed this artwork to bring awareness to how indigenous Australians and their land

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Loss In Indian Horse And I M Not The Indian You Had In Mind

    1429 Words  | 6 Pages

    It depicts the Indigenous people's losses of land, culture, and identity, as well as the loss of their traditional way of life. The writer has a connection to the struggles they faced as a result of the consequences the Indigenous faced and indicates that challenges will arise in the future. Moreover, in the research source "[t]hese are tough conversations and we have to get to a point where we are willing to make mistakes because we are going to make mistakes along the way" (Larson, online). It conveys reconciliation and difficult conversation, similar to loss, loneliness, and healing. The text and the real world demonstrate the complexities of historical injustices.

    Read More

  • Imagery And Diction In Alice Walker's 'The Flowers'

    524 Words  | 3 Pages

    Alice Walker uses imagery and diction throughout her short story to tell the reader the meaning of “The Flowers”. The meaning of innocence lost and people growing up being changed by the harshness of reality. The author is able to use the imagery to show the difference between innocence and the loss of it. The setting is also used to show this as well.

    Read More

More about Judy Watson Flame Tree Pods Analysis

Open Document