Sharyn Egan weaving workshop, Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2024. Photo Michael Goh
At Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2024, acclaimed Western Australian artist, Nyoongar woman Sharyn Egan was named as the inaugural recipient of the Tourism WA Invited Aboriginal Artist, returning to Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe for the 7th time with a major piece of public participatory art, ‘Balga Boola – Bigsmob Balga’.
During the exhibition, Sharyn led a series of workshops for the visiting public and school groups, who worked alongside Sharyn learning traditional weaving techniques to create the colourful sprouting woven fronds of the Balga trees.
The work was progressive and ‘Balga Boola – Bigsmob Balga’ grew in scale throughout the duration of the exhibition into a visually-spectacular field of eighteen Balga trees sprouting up to 3,000 traditionally woven fronds, generated by students and the public.. The interactive program taught and celebrated traditional and contemporary weaving techniques through Aboriginal storytelling and art.