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Bayside Gallery - Bayside City Council Art & Heritage Collection
From the collection of Bayside Gallery - Bayside City Council Art & Heritage Collection
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Sculpture, Lisa Waup, Chosen before birth, 2016

  • Small woven sculpture of a two figures, a larger female figure and a small child in her lap. Made of woven feathers, cloth, fibre, fur, wood, crow's feet.

    Chosen before birth

  • Close up photograph of the head of a woven sculpture. It has rows of feathers and raffia with brown feathers for hair and, seeds for eyes and teeth.

    Chosen before birth, detail 1

  • Close up of a small woven figure seated in a larger figure's lap. Made of woven feathers, rafia and seeds for eyes and mouth.

    Chosen before birth, detail 2

  • Close up photograph of the woven figure's legs and feet, made from woven feathers, cotton and raffia with crow's feet.

    Chosen before birth, detail 3

  • Photograph of the back of the sculpture, showing a figure's back with a face above where the back of a head should be. Figure is rows of woven feathers, rafia, fibres with seeds for teeth and nose.

    Chosen before birth, verso

  • Close up photograph of the head of a woven sculpture. It has rows of feathers and raffia with brown feathers for hair and, seeds for eyes and teeth.

    Chosen before birth, detail 4

  • Small woven sculpture of a two figures, a larger female figure and a small child in her lap. Made of woven feathers, cloth, fibre, fur, wood, crow's feet.
  • Close up photograph of the head of a woven sculpture. It has rows of feathers and raffia with brown feathers for hair and, seeds for eyes and teeth.
  • Close up of a small woven figure seated in a larger figure's lap. Made of woven feathers, rafia and seeds for eyes and mouth.
  • Close up photograph of the woven figure's legs and feet, made from woven feathers, cotton and raffia with crow's feet.
  • Photograph of the back of the sculpture, showing a figure's back with a face above where the back of a head should be. Figure is rows of woven feathers, rafia, fibres with seeds for teeth and nose.
  • Close up photograph of the head of a woven sculpture. It has rows of feathers and raffia with brown feathers for hair and, seeds for eyes and teeth.

Artists statement

It is known that we choose our family before we are born, for me I get a great deal of comfort knowing this, for me it is very true. I was adopted at birth, I have always known this. My mum is my best friend, she is my confidant in times of sadness and pain. She is my guiding light in times when I have lost my way. I share everything with her as she does me. She is my hero, especially now that I have my own children, seeing the sacrifices she has made along the way and is still sacrificing so much for our wellbeing. I celebrate her daily for all she does, we celebrate together the wonderful things that we achieve on a daily basis no matter how small they appear to be. She is always there for me – how privileged I am to have her in my life.
I met my birth mother once I had children of my own, I understood what a sacrifice it must have been to give me up. The first words that I muttered out of my mouth when I met her was, “I am so proud of you, and thank you”. She was quite baffled by this and then I explained. Through your unconditional sacrifice I have been given a wonderful life, the doors have been opened to me in so many ways. I have been loved unconditionally and have had the devotion of my mum and dad behind me all the way – how blessed I have been.
The dual figures that I have weaved signify my mothers, my mum is holding a babe in arms a gift from the universe. My birthmother is present within this figure, her face is at the back of my mums head. She wasn’t physically there during my many years without her, yet spiritually she never left.
This figure is a homage to my mothers, a recognition of respect and admiration, to hold them in great esteem, adulation and worship.
Lisa Waup, 2016

Physical description

emu feathers, parrot feathers, ostrich feathers, tapa cloth, fibre, crow’s feet, parrot feet, parrot wings, possum fur, seeds, raffia, wood

Keywords

References

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