Riawunna Garden provides a sense of belonging, cultural connection, and a special place of gathering at Launceston’s Inveresk campus.
Outside the north-eastern entrance of the University of Tasmania’s newest campus building at Inveresk is a flourishing landscape embedded with traditional knowledges. The Riawunna Garden at River’s Edge features native plantings, a performance space and four distinctive artworks imagined by proud Tasmanian Aboriginal artists Genie Battese and Lynne Spotswood.
The pair were commissioned to design screens, seating, a shade shelter and fire-pit cover, drawing their inspiration from country, community and culture.
“We were walking along laykila/the North Esk River looking at all the reeds, the grasses and the river flow, all the noises and the smells, and just listening. That’s when we got the idea that we’d have the theme of rivers and reeds in our artwork,” Lynne said.
“Freshwater is also essential, and so is fire, so we incorporated those two elements in the commission along with our community connections and palawa kani – our language.”
Working closely with the University’s project team, architects at Wardle, T3D Studios and ASPECT Studios, Genie and Lynne conceptualised the designs for objects symbolising the spirits of Aboriginal people past and present, moving through the land and connecting with nature.
Family and community, and native reeds and grasses are represented in the metal garden screens through laser-cut patterns and glass inserts.
The element of fire is visible in the design of the fire-pit lid. The word patrula (fire) is inscribed directly below, while kanamaluka (Tamar River) laykila (North Esk River) and plipatumila (South Esk River) are etched in the surrounding pavement, acknowledging the site’s freshwater connection.
The traditional practice of basket-weaving, and a style unique to lutrawita that’s passed down through families is the inspiration behind the seat and shade shelter designs.
The shade structure’s canopy comprises nine sections representing Tasmania’s nine Aboriginal Nations and will come to house woven artworks by Aboriginal Community members in time.
“This is exciting because it provides an ongoing teaching, learning and knowledge sharing experience for community of this traditional cultural practice that Elders can pass down,” Lynne said.
See more of the garden and read the full story at utas.edu.au.
