Macarthur Anglican School – Action for Agriculture

By day 7 the Archibull Prize artwork judging road trip was starting to feel like an Everest climb – the excitement was building but we were needed an oxygen surge and our last three schools certainly did themselves and the competition proud

Here is what artwork judge Wendy Taylor had to say

Macarthur Anglican High School

It is safe to say that “Shorn-A” is different. She tips preconceived ways of presenting the Archibull cows on their side.

She is made from a collage of related images. They depict the breeding and farm side of the wool industry at her rear, shearing and the processes involved in the wool industry at her middle, and at her head the final products found in the industry.

Wrapping around this collage in an irregular pattern, is the black ‘story line’ for the wool industry.

Inside she has a simple diorama which shows different aspects of wool and its interaction with people –the breeder, the catwalk and everyday uses.

She is sitting (on a Macarthur wool bale) in her brightly coloured legwarmers and is cleverly knitting her own fleece.

A quote on her back (embedded in the colourful collage) reads “life’s too short to knit with cheap yarn”.

You can check out Shorn-A in the making through this clever time lapse video found here

Elizabeth Macarthur High School

On one side of “Carlotta”, the beef industry is represented through imagery of calving, management, meat cuts and a variety of products related to the industry.

Along her backbone is the Nepean River – the lifeblood of their local area and community. This then flows onto her other side, with the river system breaking onto its ‘veiny-looking’ tributaries.

This side of “Carlotta” also visually shows how different cultures come together to use beef and its history through the ages. It shows Egyptian imagery meeting mambo-like motifs.

It also shows some of the connections which the local community has with aboriginal iconography. Aboriginal rain, meeting place and river symbols are all present, as well as aboriginal hand prints and animal hoof prints.

Her head introduces the ideas of cell-grazing and tree regeneration.

and it was great to see some Dairy Farmers milk as part of the morning tea. Thanks for the great hospitality Lizzie Mac

Shoalhaven High School

“Sweetie Meatie Pie” was named in honour of the school’s retiring Principal Mr Sweet. She represents the beef industry in the Shoalhaven area as well as the beef industry as a whole. She is being pulled into the future by Farmer Bill and his innovative techniques.

Each of her legs are solidly grounded in depictions of soil and local Nowra sandstone (with fossils), as having healthy soil is one factor which supports the beef industry and in this case, the cow itself.

One of her sides shows the local area – the vibrant landscape, the strength of the local community, and the importance of the Shoalhaven River to both the local area and the beef industry.

Her other side depicts the beef industry in Australia. Clearly shown are the differences between beef farming in the northern and southern areas of Australia – primarily focusing on the differences in vegetation, feed and water supply and the predominant breeds in each area.