Some 10,000 hands in the colours of charred and burnt banksia pods have been planted across the lawn of Rathborne Lodge in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney in striking formations. Designed by award winning artist Frances Belle Parker, a proud Yaegl woman, Sea of Hands is a sweeping new art installation that centres around healing country and the cultural practice of land burning.
Last week, thousands of Sydneysiders braved the rain and visited the Gardens to participate in the installation of the work. The final design was unveiled on April 10, and the installation is open to the public until April 16. Opening hours have been extended to 9pm so you can get a glimpse of this free to see artwork.
The hands in this work are arranged on the lawns featuring charred and burnt banksia pods. The coastal banksia is a symbol of resilience, as they tend to grow back stronger and thicker after fire. Here they will be depicted during their regeneration phase, open, with vivid colours coming from their beaks. Surrounding the banksias are pathway lines with a variety of meanings attached – yellow and red are used to represent fire, and blue and green represent regeneration and healing of country. Circular patterns are formed within the pathways that represent the microscopic form of certain leaves – depicting healing at a micro level on a macro scale. These are pathways to healing.
The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is partnering with ANTaR, the national organisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reconciliation and rights, to bring this interactive symbol of reconciliation to life.
