Weaving Workshops & Exhibition
The Port Campbell Community Group Inc. organised two weaving workshops at the Port Campbell Artspace over Easter with Bronwyn Razem, a Gunditjmara Kirrae Whurrong woman from the South West of Victoria.
An exhibition of the works produced was opened by Cr Simon Illingworth corresponding with the Easter market. Hundreds of people attended and were delighted by the traditional weavings and the colourful contemporary bush toys, many representing the endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot.
Bronwyn is a traditional basket weaver and artist who learnt the cultural techniques and traditions of weaving from her mother Zelda Couzens. Bronwyn teaches about traditional techniques and materials as well as contemporary methods in the construction of woven objects and is known as a master weaver amongst her peers.
Bronwyn has worked in Indigenous organizations and has exhibited her works at the Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne Museum, Geelong Wool Centre, Mildura Palimpsest Biennale, and Ballarat Art Gallery and last year represented Australia in Guam at a Pacific weaving forum. Bronwyn is passionate about teaching the cultural origins of weaving to both young and old and has strengthened the cultural dialogues between past and present practices.
Marion Manifold, organiser for the community group, said that participants thoroughly enjoyed the workshops and were interested to hear about Bronwyn’s life and traditional history and very excited with the results they produced.
The workshop was made available by a Corangamite Council grant.
