Today our task was to walk around the city and record things that we see as ‘craft’ – not necessarily things that are big or obvious like sculptures, but to look more closely at details. This is what I found.
Tiles – Hosier Lane
- Hand drawn and painted
- Ceramics are an ancient craft that date back around 4,000 years, originating in Ancient Egypt around 4,700 BCE
- Tiles are made from clay, which once shaped and dried, are fired in a kiln at very hot temperatures
- Started to be used for aesthetic purposes after the art of glazing was discovered
Totem Poll – Swanston Street
- Totem polls are monumental sculptures carved with various patterns, symbols and figures
- Originated from indigenous tribes of North America’s Pacific Northwest
- The carvings may symbolise or commemorate cultural beliefs that recount familiar legends, clan lineages, or notable events
- Traditional indigenous Australian totem polls were painted with natural pigments from the land around them, e.g. coloured earths, stones, burnt materials, and organic binders although more modern ones are now painted using oil and acrylic paints
