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Launch of ASCA’s inaugural Forget-me-knot Day
On Friday 13th November an enthusiastic group of ASCA supporters, friends, family as well as members of the broader community assembled in the forecourt of the Hyde Park Barracks, Macquarie St. Sydney. A sizable blue knot, symbolic of the tangled knot of child abuse had been holding pride of place on the facade of the building for the prior week.
After a Welcome to Country, Susan Leith Miller, our MC for the morning welcomed everyone for the launch of the inaugural Forget-me-knot Day. Dr. Cathy Kezelman, ASCA chair addressed the group which included a number of government and media representatives. She opened with the following words: “Thank you all for joining us on this truly historic occasion, ASCA’s inaugural Forget-me-knot Day. It is a day on which ASCA is bringing the legacy of childhood abuse out into the light, shattering the secrecy and publicly acknowledging the harm. It is a day on which ASCA is calling on all Australians to unite in support of the more than 2 million Australian adults who suffered abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence and/or neglect in childhood. It is a day on which adult survivors are reaching out to the broader community and seeking their support as they courageously cast off the shame and stigma of their childhood abuse….” Cathy then introduced Minister Mark Arbib, Federal Minister for Employment Participation, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Government Service Delivery. ASCA had first met the Minister when he was co-convenor of PACAN, Parliamentarians Against Child Abuse.
The Minister spoke with great insight and warmth, proclaiming his support for ASCA, for Forget-me-knot Day and for Australian adults surviving child abuse. Nicole Gertenaar and the “blue ribbon dancers” then performed a very moving ‘ceremony of connection’ which culminated in including everyone in the crowd uniting them as they held the unravelled ribbon, the tangle of child abuse. At the conclusion of the performance Minister Mark Arbib cut the thread from the large blue knot mounted on the facade of the Barracks and ASCA’s inaugural Forget-me-knot Day had been officially launched.
Many thanks to the Historic Houses Trust, the staff at the Hyde Park Barracks, Bianca Spiegel, our installation artist, Nicole Gertenaar and the blue ribbon dancers, Terry Nagle and of course Minister Mark Arbib for not only launching ASCA’s inaugural Forget-me-knot Day but for his ongoing express support.
Forget-me-knot Day Installation
11.30 am on Friday 6th November the 'tangled knot' installation developed by Bianca Spiegel was left in situ on the Hyde Park Barracks.
The process of installing it was a protracted one, led by the artist herself, and assisted by the wonderful team from the Hyde Park Barracks and ASCA volunteers.
The huge 'tangled knot' will hold this place of pride for the next week remaining in place for the official launch on November 13th, Forget-me-knot Day.
About Bianca
Bianca Spiegel"I completed my Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in sculpture, performance and installation art at Sydney College of the Arts in 2007. In order to further my education and experience another culture, I enrolled at Ecole de Beaux-Arts in Paris to do intensive courses in oil painting and drawing for six months, where I learnt many traditional art-making skills whilst immersing myself in a stimulating, artistic environment. My artwork is referenced by the natural world, from which I abstract the art in nature, inspired by the organic forms within it. The materials that I use for my artworks, are often found objects, such as aged timbers, discarded parts and objects created by nature. These elements that are weathered by time, have a history and a raw beauty that I enjoy working with. I express my work in a variety of mediums, such as, mixed media painting, sculpture, installation and video art. My current works combine painting and sculpture, creating depth and dimension to the work.
Model of Barracks with knot installationI am currently working on an Installation for ASCA’s Forget-me-knot Day event which is proving a great experience as I am working with a wonderful team who have a strong vision in creating awareness and support for adults who have survived child abuse. I am really looking forward to creating this installation for the very first Forget-me- knot Day.”
Mock-up of tangled knot to be installed
on Hyde Park Barracks |
