Echidna quill necklace

Palawa artist Jeanette James is one of the few custodians practising the traditional art of Tasmanian shell necklace stringing. Receiving knowledge and instruction from her mother, Auntie Corrie Fullard, she now extends this practice to create contemporary works of art, works also steeped in custom and culture and often incorporating other natural materials,  such as echidna quills.

For this necklace, James has sourced the quills from road kill. After burying the animal and allowing it to decay naturally, she threaded the quills onto handmade flax fibre and added an echidna claw as a toggle. With their unique graduated tones, the sharp spines are densely threaded to create a striking sculptural piece.

A tangible reminder of the connection between family and the resilience of the Palawa people of Tasmania, this necklace is an enduring example of a determination to safeguard culture.

Gloria Strzelecki, Associate Curator of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art