Image: Uncle Danny Eastwood's Rainbow Serpent at Max Webber Library. Photo by Garry Trinh
Council celebrates First Nations artworks and storytelling across Blacktown City
Blacktown city Council and Blacktown Arts are celebrating the conservation, renewal and public display of important First Nations artworks that connect culture, Country and community across Blacktown City.
Council acknowledges the Dharug people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Blacktown City is built, and recognises Dharug Country as a place where, through permission and protocol, First Nations cultures, stories and communities continue to be shared.
A full-scale photographic reproduction of Uncle Danny Eastwood's major Rainbow Serpent artwork is now on public display at Max Webber Library in Blacktown, following extensive conservation of the original work.
The 8-metre artwork, created in 1988 and considered one of Uncle Danny's most important works, has undergone extensive conservation and will be returned to Council's art collection, where it will be preserved for future generations.
The display is part of a broader story of conservation, renewal and cultural connection across Blacktown City, including at Nurragingy Reserve, where Uncle Danny's son, Jamie Eastwood, has recently renewed pathway artwork in the Aboriginal Heritage Garden.
Blacktown City Mayor Brad Bunting said the conservation of Rainbow Serpent and the renewal of the Nurragingy Reserve pathway artwork recognised the importance of First Nations storytelling, public art and cultural connection in Blacktown City.
"Uncle Danny Eastwood has made an extraordinary contribution to Blacktown City through more than 40 years of art, teaching and connection with community," Mayor Bunting said.
"Rainbow Serpent is a powerful work. It tells a story of creation, Country, movement, colour and connection, and it deserves to be cared for and shared."
"Through Blacktown Arts, we are making sure this important artwork is preserved and shared with the community."
"Having Rainbow Serpent on display at Max Webber Library means people can experience a major work by Uncle Danny Eastwood in the heart of Blacktown."
Blacktown Arts is presenting the Max Webber Library display as part of its commitment to First Nations artists, public art and the city's cultural collection.
At Nurragingy Reserve, a 63-hectare bushland park in Doonside, the Aboriginal Heritage Garden tells the story of art, culture and Country.
The garden's original artworks were created by father and son artists Danny and Jamie Eastwood.
Jamie has described the renewed pathway as "a track and a songline of storytelling," helping visitors follow a trail through Country, culture and shared stories.
Image: Jamie Eastwood at the Aboriginal Garden
The garden includes decorated pathways, native plantings, tree carvings, sandstone carvings and a yarning circle. Jamie has described the yarning circle as a place of equality, unity and reflection, where Elders, young people and community members can come together.
Mayor Bunting said the conservation of Rainbow Serpent and the renewal of the Nurragingy Reserve pathway artwork showed how First Nations stories continue to be protected, shared and experienced across Blacktown City.
"These works are not just artworks to look at. They are stories, gathering places and learning places," Mayor Bunting said.
"They help people connect with Country, understand culture and appreciate the strength of First Nations storytelling in Blacktown City.
"Residents have told us they value community, open space and places where people can connect. These projects reflect those values. They protect important cultural stories and support public spaces where people can learn, reflect and belong."
"Across generations, First Nations artists have helped shape how stories of culture, Country and community are seen, shared and understood in Blacktown City," Mayor Bunting said.
"Council is honoured to care for these important works and share them with the wider community."
The Rainbow Serpent reproduction can be viewed on the windows of Max Webber Library, Blacktown, until September.
The renewed pathway artwork can be viewed in the Aboriginal Heritage Garden at Nurragingy Reserve, Doonside.
Image: Pathway rejuvenation at Nurragingy Reserve.
