Maryam Moghadam and Keedan Rigney, A Heritage Reclaimed (ART & OBJECTS 2024)

Photos:

Maryam Moghadam

Made for the exhibition Overlay: A New Australian Heritage; a re-imagining of inherited heritage guidelines and aesthetics to more authentically reflect our current climate and context. “A Heritage Reclaimed” invites the audience to search beyond the façade of heritage buildings and bring forward the history heritage guidelines failed to acknowledge. Inside the cabinet, a triptych constructed from reclaimed native Australian timber and veneer reveals a snapshot of harmonious living prior colonisation, the displacement and genocide of First Nations people during colonisation, and a future where First Nations people displaced from culture and Country can return home, practice culture, learn language and find their family. Lined behind the doors, illustrations inspired from Australia's colonial past magnify the genocide, suppression and control endured by the First Nations People. To reveal the intricate contents of the plain exterior, the user must engage with the piece and “open its doors”, a symbol of self-initiated pro-action that works towards the reconciliation between Australia’s past, present and future. "A Heritage Reclaimed" is made from spotted gum, blue gum, jarrah, myrtle, sassafras, Huon pine, Victorian ash, blackbutt, blackwood and Queensland walnut.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.