Year 1 Digital Collages - West Lakes Shore School

Year 1 students at West Lakes Shore School have been inspired by the moving-image work by Barkindji artist Kent Morris on display in the 2021 Tarnanthi exhibition. The star subject of Morris' work is a group of kiingki, or white corellas, which he spotted during a family reunion on Kurnu Barkindji Country in Bourke, New South Wales. The newly generated geometric designs slowly evolve, resembling ceremonial markings made on the body and on trees. 

Using Ipads, the students took photos of their school community looking for interesting shapes and patterns. They then used the digital app Artleap to manipulate their photo to create their own symmetrical kaleidoscope. Their finished pieces had to include the sky and their favourite parts of the school environment.

This response to Kent Morris' work demonstrates how simple it can be to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture into the classroom in a culturally appropriate way, whilst providing an opportunity for students to create a work of art that has a personal connection to their own environment.