The Willoughby Banners were commissioned as part of the 1988 Australian Bicentenary celebrations. The banners were designed and constructed by artist Malcolm King, textile artist Yvonne Line, and many volunteers. The banners are currently in storage, and will be installed in The Concourse when construction is complete.
First, the eternal land: the sea, the earth, the Southern Cross suggest the age of our island continent. Themes of birth and death are linked inextricably with the land itself, suggesting the ability of the Aborigines to live at one with their world. The ‘hands’ design and the positive life spiral (common to many early societies) suggest an ageless continuity. Banner artist, Malcolm King, states that he “wanted to create a time perspective. Our celebration of 200 years is so minuscule in the entire scheme of things.”
