Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Unfolding Lives.....


Who doesn't remember making and playing with a 'paper fortune teller' when they were young? Ok maybe it was a 'girl' thing, with questions like 'does he like me' or 'will he ask me out'..hmmm! definitely a girl thing!! This sculpture by Judith Forrest that sits in the Perth Cultural Centre named Unfolding Lives is very much less trivial. Commissioned by the Department of Child Protection and the Federal Government it is inscribed with stories of 'the Forgotten Australians', the 56,000 West Australians who were placed in institutional care as children, many of them neglected and abused. I like it very much, a familiar childhood memory to remind us never to forget those terrible times.. Hope your week has started well, take care.....

36 comments:

  1. This is so moving. Good on the Government and the Dept. of Child Protection and the Perth Cultural Centre for getting this out in the open.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A beautiful tribute. I like it a lot too Grace.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is indeed so very moving and such a terrific tribute, Grace!! So good to know there are people who make things like this happen as a reminder of the things that we DON'T want to ever happen again! Thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very unique art installation. We used to call them 'cootie catchers' when we were little (I really don't know why). Yes, definitely a girl thing. You've got me wondering now if I would possibly remember how to make one. Hope you're off to a good week.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a truly inspired piece! Thanks for showing us.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I absolutely love this sculpture! So clever, and beautiful!and meaningful..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wonderful art installation. My kids love those!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, how beautiful this is, Grace! Very moving display. I also have clear memories of folding these 'fortune tellers' when younger, how sweet to find out it was a global phenomenon:)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I do remember paper folded like that, but not the rest of what you described. Hmmm. Must have been a girl thing.

    Excellent idea - history becomes more important with each passing year. We are truly doomed if we forget where we came from. I'm becoming more pessimistic about the future. It seems we (humans) never learn much. For example, anti-semitism is increasing around the world, especially in Europe. In the U.S., we have influential people who don't believe in science or the basic facts of how life came to be and want to teach our children that the earth is only 6,000 years old!

    Aaargh!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I remember that thing, but I have never understood how it worked...

    ReplyDelete
  11. VP makes me laugh! I don't remember how you make them! What a wonderful idea!

    ReplyDelete
  12. You have a way better idea to cope with history than us Germans.
    Right now I wouldn´t know how to fold this - but bet Spouse does, will ask him :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Lovely shots of these great memorial art works, Grace...

    ReplyDelete
  14. We recently came across one of those when we were somewhere with my young niece. In spite of it having folding instructions printed on it, I could not get it right. I like how the sculpture softens the perhaps forbidding and institutional building entrance.

    ReplyDelete
  15. A beautiful art installation, it looks like a maxi origami.

    ReplyDelete
  16. What an interesting piece you have put together here. I find it most interesting and your eye catching photos are great.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh, Grace, I like this piece so much! Thanks for showing it!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Fantastic and original sculpture by Judith Forrest.
    hugs

    ReplyDelete
  19. Terrific post, Grace, with an interesting bit of history.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Haha ! what a universal thing, and made into a sculpture ! quite creative of the artist !

    ReplyDelete
  21. I remember this game from high school. Nice artwork.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I like this idea a lot. Can the public move the sculptures to reveal different outcomes?

    Everybody, boys and girls, did these when I was growing up in NYC.

    ReplyDelete
  23. That's brilliant! I still make them for my children and they have so much fun with them.
    Duncan In Kuantan

    ReplyDelete
  24. Well, Grace, now you have me all depressed. And it was a very nice day up to now. (And, yes, that is definitely a girl thing.)

    ReplyDelete
  25. The sculpture is beautiful and the door caught my eyes!The doorway is wonderful!
    Léia

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is a great and appropriate art piece Grace. I like it.

    ReplyDelete
  27. A beautiful sculpture Grace .... very unique.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Oh, I remember those paper things. I think we called them pepper and salt and you had to say a number and then you made the moves and there was written something as in your artwork. I think it had something to do with if you would marry a certain boy. It is really a girls thing. Such a nice artwork.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Of course I remember making these! But we always put things in like "you will get married to (cutest boy in the class)" or you will drive a (fancy car of the time)". This is a great idea for a sculpture. I'm sure it brings a lot of smiles.

    ReplyDelete
  30. This really is a wonderful memorial and reminder. A very clever design.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Great atmosphere, the installation looks very interesting, that sculpture is a magnificent idea!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I think those things were always meant to be a mystery to the male half of the species.

    Fascinating sculpture, and quite a good location for it.

    ReplyDelete