From identifying ourselves as part of a particular group to showing off our creative side, clothing is so much more than just a way of covering our bodies and keeping warm. Nowhere is this more true than for First Nations women, for whom clothing serves as a tangible way of harnessing the strength and power of ancestors and celebrating the continued survival of Indigenous culture.
Designed to coincide with Melbourne Fashion Week, the Koorie Heritage Trust's free exhibition They Shield Us brings together contemporary and historic jewellery, clothing and body adornments from the Trust's collection. There are also new works by artists Yaraan Bundle, Djirri Djirri Dance Group, Isobel Morphy-Walsh, Marilyne Nicholls, Laura Thompson and Lisa Waup. The exhibition explores the ways in which the creation, sharing and wearing of adornments help shape the identities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Immersive wallpaper installations throughout the gallery will feature Indigenous models wearing collection pieces and newly created contemporary works, all of which have stories and history woven into their very fabric.