Continuing our showcase of the 2018 Archibull Prize artworks entries today we present the Pork and Egg and Poultry Archies. Check out the Horticulture entries HERE
Thanks to support from Aussie Farmers Foundation we were able to offer schools who have been participating in the program for a number of years the PORK and EGG and POULTRY industries to investigate and present their learnings via a lifesize 3D artwork in the form of a cow supported in this case by our Young Farming Champion industry experts Laura Phelps and Jasmine Whitten
So how do you turn a cow into a story about pigs and chooks
This is what The Henry Lawson High School did with PORK. Meet POWERBULL
You can read the wonderful backstory behind POWERBULL here
In our blog we are sharing with you what the students think makes Powerbull unique
At first glance, it has a generator, It has lashing lights, it has our signature gold hooves, stuffed piglets and a quilt, and is painted like a pig even though it’s a cow! More importantly, everything on the work is authentic student work. It is a reflection of their interests and their areas of learning about the pork industry. The students have brought to this a range of their skills from quilting and sewing to cartooning and sculpting.
From Central NSW we move to Queensland where Calvary Christian School Carbrook Snr Campus and Calvary Christian School Springwood Jnr Campus tackled EGGS and POULTRY in very different ways.
Meet Eggmund The Egg Calfé from Calvary Christian School Springwood Campus
This is what the students had to say about Eggmund
The concept of our Archie is to showcase the versatility of eggs. Eggs can be used for so many different foods, or eaten alone as a nutritious breakfast/snack. The idea is that the Archie is a café (or calfé in this case) where eggs are often served in a variety of ways. In this art piece, we brainstormed as many different foods as we could that could be represented. We have fried eggs on toast, scrambled eggs on toast, an omelette, cake, meringue, pancakes and so on. The cow itself is designed to look like it is made out of recycled wood in an attempt to subtly represent sustainability and reusability. The legs and body of the Archie have been turned into the table using a dual paint shade, wood grain effect. In the middle of the head is a white patch which represents a single egg. This is to emphasise that the only ingredient involved in every food item on the table is an egg.
The students at Calvary Christian School Carbrook Snr Campus had a realllllly big idea as you can see. Meet Le-EGG-O. We just love all the clever names
The students message is Feeding, Powering and Clothing a Hungry Nation is child’s play and we can learn these key concepts from childhood. It also brings out the inner child in most adults (who doesn’t want to play with LEGO?)
So why LEGO?
We went with this idea because LEGO, much like chickens and eggs, speaks a universal language. LEGO is internationally recognised and children from multiple nationalities will demonstrate recognition, be able to read booklets, construct, play, plan and dream. Likewise, poultry & eggs are an internationally recognised food source, with many countries having their own unique take on dishes cooked with chicken or eggs. In formulating our LEGO collection, we have had to purchase LEGO products from many different countries and states, included Germany, France and Holland, adding to our international theme.
We live in a global village with food being sourced from all over our planet as we feed, power and cloth our hungry nations. And with growing populations, we have to continue building these international trading ‘village’ links.
As with all ecosystems, our story starts with the nature connection, found on the farm. Our farmer demonstrates the importance of diversity, as he produces pigs, chickens and cropping. His crucial job is to supply crops that supply the egg and broiler bird production which you will find hidden inside the cow. His love of nature is demonstrated by the animals he keeps and the neat tidy appearance of his farm. It can also be noted that he provides much needed employment for others (see the tractor driver, who looks less than impressed about something but we’ll leave that to you to figure out!).
Hidden inside the neck and shoulders of the cow you will find commercial egg and chicken production. We hid these production systems just like we find egg production and broiler birds grown behind closed doors. However, small peep-holes provide opportunities to look in on what is happening and most will be pleasantly surprised to see how much care and consideration our farmers give the animals in their care. Over the course of our unit, we have learned from a biosecurity point of view the importance of keeping these valuable food sources clean for human consumption, (hence the closed doors in the real world) but wanted to provide the opportunity for people to have a sneak peek. The mirrors in these peep-holes do provide some distortion though, so things may not always be as they first appear, much like the real world.
Coming out of the multicoloured brick wall, which is symbolic of the diversity (different shapes, sizes and colours) of chicken and Egg consumers, you will find our first support industry links. Here we find the domestic transportation industry.
Moving on from the transportation hub, we will find our supermarket. (For space saving we had to by-pass the wholesalers). Supermarkets are where most of us as consumers have our first interactions with eggs and poultry. However it is important for society to make sure that children are educated in knowing where their food comes from – and that it doesn’t all come on polystyrene trays, neatly wrapped in plastic.
From the supermarket, we can move across to our ‘home’ scene, where our lovely retirees are enjoying an enormous roast – a feature of many home cooked family dinners. Left overs served tomorrow in the form of a pie, a stir fry or being drooled over by the family dog.
Our Parisian Restaurant is a key feature on the LEGO play table – intricate detail and a huge part of the story of chickens and eggs. Employment here is found in the form of the chefs (there are two – can you spot them?) waiting staff and delivery drivers. And all because of the humble chicken and egg.
Down on the runway under the cow you will find more transportation links – these ones are the international links. For most of our Broiler birds and indeed our layers, eggs are imported from international stocks to keep good breeding lines in Australia. And whilst our plane might be departing, we do also export products from Australia to various international markets. We also have our airport crewman powering up the side of the runway, symbolic of the employment this export industry also supports.
This international theme is then accentuated with the various languages shown on the shoulder and brisket of the cow – French, German, Dutch, English and Spanish: reflective of our LEGO sources and the language studied in our school.
And on the very top of the cow, having conquered the Archibull, you will find our two resident farmers who have taken us on this learning journey – Farmers Basil and Jessie.
Read the full learning journey here
Wow and watch this space we still have Sheep and Cattle, Grains and Cotton and Wool to come.
#YouthVoices18 #ArchieAction #YouthinAg
