Harmony Day Mural

Materials:

Resin, mini-Polaroid photos, coins, stamps and printed postcards.

Concept:

Harmony Day Mural celebrates the cultural diversity of Mayfield residents by depicting their birthplaces around the world in a 3500 x 2000 x 30 mm resin mural.

Mayfield is the largest inner suburb of Newcastle and in the last ten years many Sudanese refugees have been settled there. The demographic of Newcastle is predominantly white Anglo-Saxon, but the suburbs of Hamilton and Mayfield are recognised for their greater cultural diversity.

The work is the result of a community art project that began as part of Harmony Day celebrations in 2006 and continued through to Harmony Day 2007. It was created by Tricia Flanagan in collaboration with artist Tathra Witherow and members of the Mayfield community who posed for mini-Polaroid photos and donated stamps, coins and memorabilia from their countries of origin to be cast into this giant world map.

Two workshops were held outdoors at different stages of the production of the panels. Community members got involved at these events learning about the alchemy of casting resin, whilst enjoying making new friends and forming networks between cultural groups.

Project partners:

Tathra Witherow

Mayfield Main Street Committee

The University of Newcastle, Australia

Exhibitions:

Mayfield Harmony Day Web Park, Mayfield 2006. May in Mayfield, 27th May 2006.

Permanent public display installed on the façade of the Mayfield Public Library, Hannell Street, Mayfield, Australia. Launched on the 14th May 2007.

Publications:

HEYMAN, K. (2008) Have you seen the Artwork @ the Mayfield Library. Mayfield Mainstreet Newsletter. May ed. Mayfield, Mayfield Mainstreet Committee. Pp. 1 and 4.

ADORANTI, K. (2008) A Glowing New World. The Star. May 21 ed. Newcastle. P. 17.

JACK, V. (2008) Art Shines New Light on World. The Herald. 15th May ed. Newcastle. P. 19.

SACHS, K. (2006) Mayfield Celebrates Diversity in a Big Way. The Hunter Advocate. Apr – May ed. Newcastle, Australia. P. 3.

HEYMAN, K. (2006) Mayfield Harmony Day. The Leader. Mar ed. Newcastle, Australia. Pp. 2 – 6.

Multi Media:

http://mayfield.asn.au/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=148. Accessed June 17th 2009.

Thanks:

Funded through the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs with support from Mayfield Mainstreet Committee, Tathra Witherow, Jens Gunter, Robert Litzrot, Luke Thomas and the Mayfield community.