Sharing stories and knowledge of place – new public artwork for Freshwater

Council is excited to announce that First Nations Public Art team mili mili has been commissioned to create a new public artwork at McKillop Park at Freshwater’s headland as part of the Coast Walk Public Art project. mili mili is an established First Nations art and design studio co-founded by award winning designer and artist Nicole Monks. Monks is a multidisciplinary artist of Yamaji Wajarri, Dutch and English heritage, living and working on Worimi and Awabakal Country (Newcastle).

The Coast Walk is a 36km track stretching from Manly to Palm Beach connecting and celebrating some of Sydney’s most iconic beaches and surf breaks, ocean rock pools, aquatic reserves, surf lifesaving clubs, headlands, lagoons, archaeological sites, places of significant local heritage and is due to be completed next year.

“I’m looking forward to listening to the Continuing Custodians and learning about Country. Collaborating with local mob to create a place that inspires a deeper connection and respect for this Country’s Continuing Custodians, is important. 

“This Country holds layers of unseen stories; these stories are made visible when Community share knowledge of place,” said Ms Monks.

“The headland offers the community and visitors the opportunity to have breathing space from the busy-ness of the city, to slow down and reconnect with nature and the stories of this significant place.

This project will symbolise the beginning of a new journey, and the revitalisation of the history and culture of this place,” she said.

The project is currently in the community engagement and design development stage.

mili mili will engage with local Aboriginal stakeholders and local communities in early 2022, and aims to install the artwork later in the year.

mili mili was selected from 38 high-quality submissions by Council’s Public Art Selection Panel.

mili mili is a team of Continuous Custodians unique to each project that includes Cultural Custodians, leading and emerging artists, curators, creative directors, landscape designers and graphic designers. The team focuses on Country and Culture and starting conversations with the whole community through placemaking. Based in Sydney and Newcastle, the team has over 30 years’ experience in the design and supply of custom fabrication and public art. They believe working with the local Continuing Custodians is the key to meaningful placemaking that expresses the culture of place.

mili mili is led by Nicole Monks, a multi-disciplinary creative of Yamaji Wajarri, Dutch and English heritage, living and working on Worimi and Awabakal Country (Newcastle).

Monks’ practice is informed by her cross-cultural identity, using storytelling as a way to connect the past with the present and future. Her works take a conceptual approach, are embedded in narrative and aim to promote conversation and connection.

An award-winning designer and artist, Monks crosses disciplines to work with furniture and objects, video, installation, performance and public art. Across these varied forms of art and design, her work reflects Aboriginal philosophies of sustainability, innovation and collaboration.

Monks currently holds the position as a Professor of Practice for the UNSW School of Art, Design and Architecture, sits on the UNSW Galleries Advisory Board, the Design Advisory Panel for the Powerhouse Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) and is a Design Institute of Australia Continuing Custodian Advisor.

Monks was the winner of UNSW Art & Design Indigenous Professional Development Award, ArtsNSW Aboriginal Design Grant, Vivid Design competition (furniture) and Museums and Galleries of NSW IMAGinE award winner. Monks’ works are in national collections, including the Powerhouse, Museum of Applied Arts and Science (MAAS), National Gallery of Victoria, Macquarie Group Collection, Art Gallery of WA and Museum of Art and Culture, Lake Macquarie.