The River, Our Mother: Baaka Ngamaka ‘Inana

Wednesday 2nd October

We joined Gallery 76 at the Embroiderer’s Guild NSW for a talk with artist and president of the Guild, Judith Burns. Judith reflected on the creative journey that lead to the exhibition, and her friendship with Barkandji Elder, Badger Bates, and how his lifelong relationship with the Baaka River (Darling river) has been affected by the impacts of urbanisation. The exhibition aims to reflect not only on the colonial legacies that have shaped this river, but also to the pressing existential threats that impact it in the face of development, urbanisation, and waste management. Bates’ work, intricate lino prints and metalworks reflecting scenes of nature,

river basins, and Story, sit in contrast to Burns’ detailed embroidered maps, and Julia Paterson’s printed more-than-human portraits and interactive “stitch in”.

Paterson’s project utilises physical mark making to act as witness to the ongoing destruction of the river and the species eradicated. She invites exhibition goers to sit in the gallery space, and embroider a hundred x’s onto scraps of cloth, in doing so marking the hundreds of animals, fish, insects, and plants who have been threatened or destroyed in the destruction of the river.

Ultimately, Paterson’s aim is to combine these embroidered resistance pieces into one large banner, which she will take to the steps of Parliament house to engage in a “stitch in” to raise awareness for the Baaka.

The exhibition’s combination of sculpture, printmaking, embroidery and geographical references calls into play an intimacy and narrative which “remind us of our duty of care to Country, waterway and each other.”

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