Ruby Tuesday

On Sunday I ventured out with friends to an exhibition about Titanic held at the Museum and found my weekly splash of red in a number of huge woven tapestries at the Museum.

These were amazing … and there were so many of them.

I decided to do a little research and it turns out that tapestries are in celebration of federation … when the various Australian states and territories merged in 1901. There were ten tapestries in total, woven by 24 weavers between June 2000 and November 2001.

Here's a taste of a few of them:

The tapestry We All Live in Australia was a favourite of mine. This was designed by Murray Walker, who incorporated drawings by Aboriginal children from primary schools in Echuca, Cape Barren Island and Bathurst.


In essence they plead with us to take care of one another, and to look after all parts of the environment. Worth acting on ... I think.


One of the tapestries … this one with the number 1901 at the top was a giveaway federation had something to do with it. This one’s so soft and subtle … with touches of red and orange to draw the eye in.


The seventh tapestry celebrates the important role of Australia's artists in the Federation process. It celebrates ways Australians in the last two decades of the 19th century used literature and art to create and express a unique national identity.


And this beautiful red flower of course forms part of the mural ... please don't ask me what kind. I can't name trees ... let alone flowers.


This is a close up from the sixth tapestry which celebrates Home Sweet Home. The panel concentrates on the importances of the family home, and its important to many Australians who dream of owning their own home with a garden on a large block of land.


The next panel is quite different ... a summary of the themes underlying the whole suite. It presents an historical process from before the arrival of European settlement, through various voyages of discovery to the first white settlement of Australia.


The images are all part of our history, including the picture of Bungaree, an early Aboriginal from Sydney during the very earliest settlement of Australia.


This panel forms part of the tapestry focussing on Alone in the Bush. It depicts the loneliness and isolation many Europeans felt. The shepherd newcomer, his dog and sheep are shown with other animals including a kangaroo, now under the control of the British crown.


And last, but not least ... the Celebrations 2001 tapestry celebrating the 100th anniversary of Federation. A fitting close to this post and the week's red theme.


I hope you enjoyed this little look at Australia's history ... but this is just a peak at the many types and shades of red around the world, so visit Mary at Work of the Poet. There's much more to enjoy.