Possum skin cloak
2005-2006
from Hunter-gatherer 2005-06
Medium
rusted corrugated iron, wire
Measurements
119.5 × 131.5 × 5.0 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, NGV Supporters and Patrons of Indigenous Art, 2006
© Lorraine Connelly-Northey
Gallery location
Gallery 3
Ground Level, NGV Australia
About this work
Lorraine Connelly-Northey reclaims her Waradgerie (Wiradjuri) heritage by reviving Aboriginal weaving practices. After learning about plants once used for woven objects, she expanded her medium, sourcing modern materials like rusted wire and galvanised iron from town and bush landscapes. Connelly-Northey’s art reshapes these materials into culturally resonant, post-colonial artifacts with strong political significance. In her reinterpretation of the possum skin cloak, traditionally made from possum pelts and engraved with familial histories, she transforms discarded objects to honour Indigenous cultural narratives and highlight the impacts of colonisation.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Swan Hill, Victoria
Accession Number
2006.336.1
Department
First Nations Australia
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation