Summary

Based in Launceston, artist Vicki West is a descendant of the Trawlwoolway people of north-eastern Tasmania. Of her use of kelp, which draws much inspiration from the cultural practices of her people, Vicki says: 'My relationship with kelp is a continuation of my ancestors' traditional cultural practices of utilising bull kelp. The old people created water carriers from the kelp, and these vessels played an essential role in the survival of Tasmanian Aboriginal people and culture over thousands of years.' Vicki West, 2012. http://www.arts.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/59791/latitude_program_web.pdf


Using traditional knowledge regarding collecting and drying methods, Vicki made this container from bull kelp. She has fashioned it into a bulbous cup shape, secured with tea tree skewers, and finished it with a string carrying handle made from spun grass. Historically, these kelp water containers were made and traded by Aboriginal peoples of the Furneaux Islands group, off Tasmania's north-eastern coast, and the west coast of mainland Tasmania. Kelp carriers varied in size and could hold up to 6 litres of water.

Of water carriers such as this one Vicki explains;
'Water carriers created from kelp were vital to my Ancestors' survival. Unlike my Ancestors I do not need to create vessels that hold water in a physical sense, however the vessels I create become adapted versions, containers filled with a richness of culture and expression.' Vicki West, 2008

Physical Description

Container made of kelp leaf. Cupped structure with two sides of the rim threaded through with two wood skewers so as to hold and give the container shape. Partially fluted rim. Two twined flexible string carrying handles attached to either ends of the wood skewers.

Significance

Working with the traditional materials and in the traditional ways has been important for me in reconnecting with the Aboriginal heritage and culture. Sitting with other women in the Community, and sharing stories while we weave, much in the same way as it has been for thousands of generations is a very grounding experience.' Vicki West, 2009. http://static.tmag.tas.gov.au/tayenebe/makers/VickiWest/index.html,

Vicki West art uses various media, from large-scale installations to delicate sculptural work. She also works in jewellery, textiles, painting and new media, mirroring and building upon the cultural practices handed down by her people for countless generations. With work that often incorporates the fibres of her Country, Vicki weaves narratives which speak to First People's irrepressible bond with and responsibilities to their ancestral lands. Her art is also often concerned with narratives of cultural survival which interrupt colonial myths of the so-called extinction of her Pakana (Tasmanian Aboriginal) peoples.
As well as being a highly respected artist who has exhibited all over Australia, Vicki also works as a mentor and tutor and has had extensive involvement in many community arts projects at schools, museums, festivals and conferences. She holds the position of Children's Arts and Culture Worker at Meenah Neenah, an Aboriginal Arts Youth program in Launceston.

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