Gunditjmara Country

Bronwyn Razem is a Gunditjmara master weaver born and raised in Warrnambool and currently residing in Geelong on Wadawurrung Country. Razem is recognised as a leading cultural figure in the revival and sharing of the traditional weaving techniques of the region. 

Central to her practice is the continuity of culture, passed down through her matrilineal line, from her grandmother and mother to her own daughters.

At the heart of her exhibition for The Regional  is a newly commissioned traditional eel trap basket, referencing the Gunditjmara people’s highly sophisticated aquaculture systems, which comprised a network of orchestrated rock formations designed to manage and direct water flows. Within these formations, woven eel traps were used to catch this vital food source. 

In recognition of culture as a continuously evolving and living entity, the eel trap basket on display features a range of artificially dyed grasses, representing a colourful new iteration not synonymous with the traditional aesthetic, but relevant in its current contemporary setting. 

As Razem’s first public institutional exhibition held on her Country, the Regional is a momentous occasion and celebration for the artist and the gallery.