Fifty years ago today my Mum, Dad and I disembarked in Melbourne from the ship Castel Felice. One of many migrants leaving Europe for a better life in Australia. Imagine packing your entire life into a suitcase. Migrating from your home into the unknown. Leaving behind your heritage, family, your whole support network and even a piece of your own identity. Imagine the conflicting emotions of excitement for the adventure you are about to embark on, and feelings of apprehension and fear. With that comes the painful last embrace, final farewell and possibly the last visible glimpses of your loved ones. A journey such as this had a profound effect on my life and influence the themes in my work. These themes explore the emotional and psychological issues connected to such a journey. The conflicts between my culture of origin and the culture of my new home. Possibly the strongest theme and one which re-occurs constantly in my work is house and home and how the home is symbolic of self. It seems to me I have placed added importance to "home" and what "home" means to me. Possibly a direct consequence of migrating from my cultural birthright.
Mum and I had a lovely celebratory lunch, reminisced about the old days and toasted with a few wines to the next fifty years. In fifty years time Mum will be 125 years old and I would be 104 hehehe.
8 comments:
geez and I will be 80 and Zoe 57!!
I know, Mum and I had a chuckle about it.
hahaha its not hard to imagine zoe at 57 she's already an old fuddy duddy nana lol
Thanks for sharing your story with us. So close you all are. And as they say what we are all about really comes out in our work... hmmm I better do some thinking on that myself.
Any ways so grateful to read.
~v~Laura
Wish I could come see your generational show next year. Sounds so loving and connected. And I enjoyed reading your story about your journey to Australia. It makes me appreciate even more the home/still-life series you are doing. I love when artists talk about the deeper meaning behind their creations. Sharing is so beautiful.
Bev
So many memories, Uta. And so nice to have the time with your Mum that day. xx
A wonderful celebration! And humor tucked ever so gently in. I sometimes remember that a piece of my soul lives up in Wisconsin and only when I visit there again can I reclaim it. And it is not even my birthplace. But there are photos of my mother pregnant with me there! Have you traveled back to your birth place?
No Doris I've never been back. Have not left Australia since I arrived. Mum and Dad went back a few times. I think now I don't want to go back. I have little childhood memories that I want to keep intact.
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