Students from Moree Secondary College have been busy creating a mural masterpiece for the Albert Street campus which generations to come will be able to appreciate.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Over the past few days, students in years nine to 12 have been working with Moree Plains Gallery’s artist-in-residence Warraba Weatherall to create the mural in the lead-up to NAIDOC Week celebrations.
Weatherall is a Kamilaroi street artist and sculptor from Brisbane who has family in Moree.
In March this year he visited Moree for a research and development trip, researching his family history as well as meeting with students from Moree Secondary College to come up with a design based on what they wanted to see.
He will be spending the next three weeks in Moree, working on the mural project with students, as well as creating a five metre wide mural to go on the walls of Moree Plains Gallery as part of their upcoming exhibition, Yeladu! Kamilaroi Art Today.
“The gallery has funding from Create NSW to do an artist residency every year and we usually try and get a Kamilaroi artist,” Moree Plains Gallery director Vivien Clyne said.
“This year we wanted to work with Warraba; he’s a street artist by trade and we thought it’d really appeal to the kids at the school.
“This is a creative outlet for them but a really great thing we’ve coincided with NAIDOC Week. The mural is great for the town as it’s visible from so many locations and it will become really important for the school community.”
Featuring the word Gamilaroi over a background of an Aboriginal flag, the street-art inspired mural is extremely eye-catching, adding a bright splash of colour to the Albert Street campus.
Eventually, the students will add their names into the design to give them a sense of ownership of the project.
“The idea came from consultation with the students,” Weatherall said.
“I’m putting a bit of my own experience and background into it but I’m trying to let these fellows take charge,” Weatherall said.
“They’ve had a lot of input.”
About 10 students have been working on bits and pieces of the mural in between classes.
One is year nine student Julius Widders who said he is very proud of his involvement with the mural project.
“When we get older we can look book at this and show our kids and be proud of our culture,” he said.
Once the mural is complete it will be used as the backdrop for Moree Secondary College’s NAIDOC Week celebrations.
NAIDOC Week runs from July 2 to 9.
Related:
