This tree reminds me of place, people and identity

These two images that make up one large artwork, focus on historical facts, life pathways and travelling across land: Country. They tell and show the story of a tree that sits within a specific geographic landscape. E.g. ‘this tree stands steadfast along my inland travelling track, near the town of Mundubbera (Mun-dub-bur-ra) on the land of the Wakka Wakka people’. The focus of the tree is on its location without saying exactly where it is, maintaining a sense of private/public knowledge along with the look of the tree including its burled bark covering. ‘Burls are caused by an injury, virus or fungus, and appear where the tree undergoes some type of stress. Most burls grow beneath the ground and are attached to the roots. They are almost always covered by bark, even when under the ground’. This artwork was interconnected with the other works in the Capricornia Arts Mob’s NAIDOC Exhibition and curated by Dr Pamela CroftWarcon to the NAIDOC theme: we value the vision: Yirrkala Bark Petitions. The exhibition was installed in the Walter Reid Gallery, Rockhampton, Queensland as part of the Capricornia Arts Mob’s NAIDOC Exhibition from 01 – 13 July 2013. Part of this work has been included in an article titled ‘Trees Along Our Travelling Tracks’ published in About Place Journal, 11(1): 1-5 at http://aboutplacejournal.org/trees/bronwyn-fredericks-ii-i/