"Living Cultures" Artwork by Saretta Fielding.
Living Cultures
Living cultures celebrates traditional custodians and the continuing culture and heritage of Aboriginal people across NSW.
Aboriginal symbolism is central to the artwork, flowing across the imagery and placing emphasis on the overarching cultural value of Eldership and the passing down of knowledge over infinite generations, highlighting our living culture, respect for cultural knowledge and walking in the footprints of our ancestors as we go forward in an alive, active and evolving culture.
The artwork layers represent inclusion of all Aboriginal people, celebrating our shared cultural values, alongside the unique diversity of tribal groups and the history, identity and strong culture ties that we pass to future generations.
Three gathering circles within the artwork hold a threefold meaning:
- Highlighting tribal groups, culture and heritage across NSW,
- Reflective of the Aboriginal culture and heritage unit, teamwork and shared vision for the continuity of invaluable cultural knowledge, and
- Bring an invitation to all to lean in, as we share cultural values of protection, reserving heritage and management of our places with a focus on generational legacy.
Pathways flowing across the design invites us to looks back to those who have gone before and the strong cultural legacy they pass to us to reflect on our role in the present day and the continuing custodianship of cultural knowledge and heritage that we contribute to and pass onto our young, who will carry the baton into the future.
A backdrop of songlines on country is reflective of our connections to each other and country within the diverse and abundant landscapes we today share custodianship of, from the coastal shores, wetlands and waterways to the valleys, plains, mountain ranges and desert areas. The colour palette and songlines endeavour to humbly capture the beauty and majesty of country from dusk to dawn, where Aboriginal people live in harmony with a continuing cultural that is embraced and valued by all.
About the Artist
Saretta Fielding
Saretta is passionate and committed to seeing the Aboriginal community advance towards economic and social inclusion and in 2016 started Malang Indigenous Corporation, which operates in partnership with Saretta Art Design to open opportunities for her community.
Her belief is that through unity, vision and planning, we can achieve a sustainable future that embraces reconciliation and is rich in economic opportunity for all. Her life journey has seen the valuable vehicle for change that Reconciliation through RAP’s brings to communities and the valuable relationships built across cultures locally, statewide and nationally. Saretta is passionate about the opportunities that arise to work together around shared vision through visual arts and cultural appreciation.
She has always painted, drawn and experimented in a variety of art mediums, as art has long been a passion for her. She loves the challenge of conveying to others, through art, how she is influenced by culture, people, life experiences and natures beauty.
Reflective in style to many traditional artworks found throughout the Wonnarua country and across our nation, Saretta's artworks are connected to Country in style and design through the use of a sand-based medium. The highly textured pieces embody the age old sandstone engraved artworks created by our ancestors and add a whole new dimension to each uniquely created visual narrative, allowing us all to join in sharing culture with future generations through our creative journey together.