In recognition of National Reconciliation Week, we wanted to share the story of the artwork behind our Indigenous branding at BreastScreen SA.
In 2017, BreastScreen SA commissioned the piece by artist Audrey Brumby, an Aboriginal woman from Ernabella in far north South Australia. We invited her to tell the story of screening for our First Nations People.
Brumby used several techniques and motifs within the artwork that are part of her culture, including the traditional dot painting depicting her dreamtime.
The larger circle of U shapes represents women coming together for screening. There is a line showing one of the women moving to a smaller circle of women at the top of the image. This is a woman being recalled for Assessment – a small subset of our clients.
There is a second line showing a woman returning to screening from Assessment. This demonstrates that being recalled to Assessment is usually not the end of a woman’s screening journey – she may return for screening if cleared at Assessment, or she may return to screening post treatment if all is well.
The striking artwork currently hangs in the entrance foyer of BreastScreen SA’s Flinder Street State Coordination Unit in Adelaide and is often commented upon. The piece, and its beautiful colour palette, forms the foundation of our Indigenous branding.
About the artist
The Brumby family was one of the original families forming Ernabella, which was settled in 1937. Brumby’s father Rodney recalls seeing white men for the first time during the early years of the settlement. The Brumby family are from the Pitjantjatjara people and lands and speak the Anangu language. Audrey has been part of the Ernabella art collective and can remember when they were taught batik techniques in the 1980s as part of a cultural exchange. Her work has featured in many major art installations around Adelaide, including Tandanya. Audrey actively works as a translator for her language and has also illustrated a series of children’s books in both English and Pitjantjatjara language.