13 December 2017
An Australia-made tapestry created to hang in the Sir John Monash Centre in France was cut from its loom today.
The Morning Star tapestry was designed by prominent Australian war artists Lyndell Brown and Charles Green and depicts winter dawn light illuminating a pathway through eucalypt trees and bush towards sunlight, with inset images of young soldiers departing for war.
The tapestry took close to 4,000 weaving hours to complete, with wool sourced from sustainable producers in Australia.
It will be permanently displayed in the Sir John Monash Centre, which opens in Villers-Bretonneux, France in April 2018.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan said the tapestry was a moving tribute to the men and women who served on the Western Front.
“The Morning Star tapestry is a powerful tribute to the brave Anzacs who fought on the Western Front battlefields of the First World War,” Mr Tehan said.
“It is also a clear demonstration of the extraordinary talent of Australian weavers who have undertaken thousands of hours of painstaking work to produce this meaningful artwork.”
Minister for the Arts Mitch Fifield said the Morning Star tapestry was one of several projects to receive funding through the Anzac Centenary Arts and Culture Fund, which was part of the Australian Government’s national Anzac Centenary program.
“The Anzac Centenary Arts and Culture Fund is providing $4 million over four years for arts and culture projects that contribute to the Anzac legacy,” Mr Fifield said.
“The Morning Star tapestry will help visitors understand what Australians fought for and the places they kept in their hearts as they endured unimaginable hardship.”
The Sir John Monash Centre will be the focal point of the Australian Remembrance Trail along the Western Front, which links First World War sites of significance to Australia, including museums, battlefields, memorials and cemeteries.
Entry to the Centre is free, and bookings are strongly encouraged for peak periods around Anzac Day, the Centenary of the Battle of Hamel and Remembrance Day 2018.
For more information visit the Sir John Monash Centre website.