Despite the ravages of Tasmania's colonisation, in a cultural practice unbroken through centuries, Palawa (Indigenous Tasmanian) people have made necklaces of lustrous strings of pearlescent shells collected from the cool waters surrounding lutruwita (Tasmania) and its islands.

In her catalogue essay for the touring exhibition 'Lola Greeno: Cultural Jewels', artist, critic and curator Julie Gough writes:

Though for most of us a shell necklace captivates with its beauty and mystique, for the makers it is a profoundly meaningful emblem of their integration with the land and with history. It is the embodiment of one's family line, a chain of knowledge preserved through generations in defiance of the disruption Australia's Indigenous people have endured in recent centuries.¹ 

This collection of 11 pieces made by Lola Greeno for inclusion in APT9 (Acc. 2018.161–171) demonstrates her intimate knowledge of the shells and their habitat. Though her practice is firmly based in traditional shell necklace techniques, she explores unique innovations in materials and design in these works, displaying the breadth of her contemporary shell stringing practice and her commitment to the art form.

In January 2018, taking advantage of seasonal availability, Greeno organised family trips to Flinders Island and east coast Tasmanian beaches to gather the shells for the APT9 commission; then undertaking the intricate and time-consuming processes required to reveal the shells' exquisite lustre and prepare them for threading. Though the essential beauty of Greeno's shell work is inherent in the natural materials, the artist's intimate knowledge of the shell species and her precise selections and design sense, are evident in harmonious pairings of the luminous colours and perfect forms that need only the most basic presentation to highlight their subtle elegance.

The shells used here are evocative of their source, reflecting the colours of the sea in its deep and shallow waters. Multiple strands of each species emphasise their particular characteristics: the translucent green/blue of maireener shells, icy tones of the small, pointed silver kelp, the size-graded abalones and robust warrener, contrasting with five long strings of densely-pigmented black crow shells — a foil for their brilliance.

Endnote

1. Julie Gough, Lola Greeno: Cultural Jewels [exhibition catalogue], Australian Centre for Craft and Design, Darlinghurst, Australia, 2014.