​Artist attribution​

“Dharawal and Yuin Artist Alison Page has developed a sculptural Acknowledgement of Country for NSW Parliament. For Page, what better way to honour ancient land than with “a slice of Country” itself. Supported by Culture and Heritage Consultant and Dharawal/Gumbaynggirr woman Rowena Welsh-Jarrett and Ceramicist Simon Reece, the collaborating artists have created a stratified pillar that embodies the deep time history of the cultural landscape around Parliament House. Each visible layer is composed of natural elements – earth, stone, ochre, shell, and ash – that reveal their colours, imprints and textures to the surface. The resulting bands celebrate features of the local landscape that are significant to its First Nations Custodians. The artist team has given a conceptually rich and robust voice to the layers of living histories that the wider community has come to inherit.”​

A stateme​nt of significance: reconciliation between cultures 

On August 21, 2024, the Governor of NSW, with representatives from Aboriginal communities and the Presiding Officers, unveiled an Acknowledgement of Country sculpture in the native garden in front of Parliament House​​. This was in collaboration with Metro and La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Councils, Dharawal and Yuin artist Alison Page, Dharawal Cultural Consultant Rowena Welsh-Jarrett, and ceramic artist Simon Reece. 

Standing approximately 150 cm tall, the sculpture features multiple ceramic layers of varying depths that represent the layers of country.

The plaque to acknowledge the sculpture reads: 

The Parliament of New South Wales stands on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We proudly acknowledge all the Aboriginal peoples of New South Wales and honour their enduring connection to the lands, waters and sky of the State. 

The representatives of the people of New South Wales gather from various Aboriginal lands across the State to meet in this Parliament. May the decisions made within these walls reflect our commitment to fostering a spirit of reconciliation and respect. 

Parliament staff participated in two workshops in Blackheath, as part of the creative process, which has been documented in a mini-documentary capturing the project's journey, shown below​. The artwork aims to foster and symbolise reconciliation between cultures. The fabrication and installation of the artwork was made possible by Simon Reece Ceramics, Tilt Industrial Design, Entrenched Landscape and Design, Steensen Varming, and Star Electrical. 

Meet the artists ​

Alison Page​ Lead artist Alison Page is a descendant of the Dharawal and Yuin people whose career began in the late 1990s working in architecture and interior design and expanded into urban design, sculpture and film. In 2015 she was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame and in 2022 was the Interior Design Excellence Awards gold medal winner.   Alison co-creates with First Nations ​communities, organisations and cultural practitioners, to bring the power of storytelling to public spaces primarily to awaken the memory of Country. Her work explores traditional pieces of knowledge, ceremony, truth-telling, and its impact on the Australian identity.  She is currently Associate Dean (Indigenous Leadership and Engagement) at UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture & Building, and a member of several cultural boards including the National Australia Day Council, Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, and the Australian National Maritime Museum.  Alison co-authored Design, Building on Country with Paul Memmott, published by Thames and Hudson Australia as part of their First Knowledges Series. ​	​Rowena Welsh-Jarrett Cultural consultant Rowena Welsh-Jarrett is a Dharawal and Gumbaynggirr woman. Her father's people are Gamilaraay and Murrawarri. She was born on Gadigal land and is a proud member of the Redfern and La Perouse communities with cultural connections to multiple coastal Sydney clan groups.  Rowena is a culture and heritage practitioner that has been working to integrate Aboriginal knowledge, stories, truth telling, history and engagement with the delivery of built environment projects.   As a Director of Bila Heritage and Director at RWJ, Rowena advocates for culturally appropriate and best practice co-design processes that provide cultural governance, social justice, employment and education for the many communities she works with. Her work is at the forefront of the growing movement to decolonise architecture and planning practices in Australia.  Rowena is a member of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Council, a nominee of the Heritage Council of NSW.	​Simon Reece Ceramic artist Simon Reece studied ceramics at The National Art School (formerly East Sydney Technical College) in the early 1980s. After completing his studies, he established a studio in Blackheath and taught ceramics at Nepean TAFE. In 1985, Reece travelled to Japan to work with the renowned ceramic master Uneo Norihide in Bizen, where he mastered the art of wood firing and developed a strong sense of ceramic aesthetics. These skills and methodologies continue to influence his work.  Reece is known for his adaptability and innovation, frequently experimenting with different clays, and developing glazes from raw materials. He has created tableware for some of Australia’s most acclaimed chefs and restaurants, including Tetsuya, Justin North, Neil Perry’s Rockpool, Sean Presland of Sake Restaurant, and various boutique dining establishments. His work also includes large-scale environmental sculptures for private and public commissions.  In 2011, Reece and his family travelled to Ernabella 'Pukatja', South Australia​, where he, alongside renowned wood-fire potter Kirk Winter, conducted Wati workshops with Anangu men at the historic Ernabella Art Centre. ​

See how the sculpture was made

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