Working in collaboration with Dreamtime Art and WEHI, Luruk-In created the artwork 'River Journey'. This artwork represents WEHI’s continued commitment to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities in Victoria.
The large circular symbols represent WEHI as a central meeting place with additional meeting places depicting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. These meeting places symbolise an area in which people gather and share stories, developing and strengthening meaningful and respectful relationships. Surrounding each meeting place are circular designs which symbolise WEHI’s role to listen to the unique relationship Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have with Country and land.
A major focal point of the artwork is the river, which links all meeting places together and depicts the journey of WEHI across the country to engage with communities. The river extends to the furthest corner and continues off the artwork, representing the ongoing responsibility to be responsive to the needs of Aboriginal communities across the state.
The colours throughout painting represent the movement, essence and spiritual connection between community and country, enhancing the importance of custodianship and acknowledging traditional lands. A key element throughout the artwork are the mountains, which are used as visual representation of truth, symbolising the history of Australia pre and post colonisation. The mountains on either side of the river act as timeline showcasing the landscapes creation stories from the last 60,000 years and emphasises the importance of celebrating First Nations peoples and cultures in the nation’s identity.
For more information visit: https://www.wehi.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Innovate-Reconciliation-Action-Plan-2023-2025.pdf
