Currently on display in the busy oasis of Fish Lane is the work of Sonja Carmichael.
Sonja is a Ngugi woman belonging to the Quandamooka People (Moreton Island/Moorgumpin and North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah, Queensland). She is a descendant of the Ngugi people, one of three clans who are the traditional custodians of Quandamooka, also known as Yoolooburrabee – people of the sand and sea. Sonja works specifically in the medium of fibre basketry and woven sculptures, reflecting her family’s cultural connections with the land and seas of Minjerribah.
Weaving has become central to Sonja’s deep-rooted connectedness to Country, and she draws inspiration from the many stories connected to Quandamooka traditional woven bags. In her practice, she also explores contemporary materials and techniques, incorporating lost and discarded items that wash up on Minjerribah’s shoreline – particularly ‘ghostnets’ and fishing lines – which she unravels and integrates into new forms. These works directly respond to concerns about the preservation of the natural environment by the transformation of discarded materials into contemporary artworks.
Onespace would like to thank ARIA Property Groupfor profiling these beautiful works!
Sonja’s work will feature in Fish Lane until until the 1 August 2023.
Images courtesy of the artist and ARIA Property Group.
