Lisa Waup
Holding Country 2023
Lisa Waup is a mixed-cultural First Nations artist and curator who was born in Narrm (Melbourne). Her multidisciplinary practice encompasses a diverse range of media, including weaving, printmaking, photography, sculpture, fashion, and digital art. With a deep connection to the symbolic power of materials, her work reflects her personal experiences, family history, Country, and broader historical narratives. Through her practice, Waup weaves together threads of lost history, ancestral relationships, motherhood, and the passage of time, which culminates in contemporary expressions that speak to her past, present, and future.
Holding Country was inspired by the impact of the major flooding in Victoria and New South Wales in recent years. 365 hessian bags have been screen-painted with reflective ink and ochre, and individual handles hand-made largely from found materials have been attached to each of them. Waup’s work serves as a catalyst for dialogue, inviting us to consider each of our individual responsibilities to care for and protect Country. It reminds us of the preciousness and fragility of our ecosystem, especially in light of the current climate crisis.
- Artist / Maker
- Lisa Waup (1971)
- Creation Date
- 2023
- Place created
- Australia - Melbourne
- Collection
- University Art Collection
- Subjects
- Art and design - installations
- Materials used
- mixed materials, screen printing on hessian
- Dimensions
(H x W x D) - Hessian Bag 120 x 36 cm
- Credit line
- The University of Melbourne Art Collection. Purchased, 2023-2024
- Accession number
- 2023.036.001
- Copyright
- © Lisa Waup/Copyright Agency, 2025 Request Access