Memory River
Stage 5
Term 3 (term-long)
Memory River was a project which combined Indigenous history, stories and art with the voices of young people from Western Sydney. The project took place at The Parramatta Female Factory Institutions Precinct, a location with a long and complex history; at various times it has been an orphanage, prison, asylum and school. Drawing on the area’s Indigenous history, the recent history, and working collaboratively with Indigenous knowledge holders and female contemporary Indigenous artists (Maddison Gibbs was the participating artist in 2023), students wrote write stories and poems that meaningfully explored First Nations history, post-colonial history, their personal memories, and their hopes for the future.
At the conclusion of the project a selection of audio/video recordings of student writing, the artworks created by students and original contemporary artworks by the participating artist were exhibited at the Female Factory for visitors to see and hear.
Resources
Explore the resources created in tandem with this exciting program.