• Mud crab sculptures nip into a new home

Tarquin Singleton, Cr Rhonda Coghlan and Hendrik Fourmile.

Mud crab sculptures nip into new home

Three giant, well-travelled mud crab sculptures by renowned local artist Brian Robinson have taken up a new permanent home in Centenary Lakes in Edge Hill. The Malu Githalayl sculptural work was first displayed in Monaco in 2016, where the crabs appeared to be scuttling up the facade of the historic Oceanographic Museum as part of the exhibition, Australia: Defending the Oceans at the Heart of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art. The four-metre mud crabs came home to Australia after the exhibition and were temporarily displayed at Munro Martin Parklands. They have now been gifted to the city by the artist, whose work includes the much-loved and widely photographed Woven Fish at the Cairns Lagoon and the Citizen’s Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef sculptures on the Esplanade. The original sculptures were decorated with traditional Torres Strait Island designs. After consultation with the artist and Traditional Custodians of the lands surrounding Centenary Lakes and the Cairns Botanic Gardens, it was decided the sculptures would fit into their new home better with new shells. To recognise and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and First People of the region, two of the new shells have been decorated with designs by Yidinji artist, Hendrick Fourmile – whose red patterned crab stands alone – and Yirrganydji artist Tarquin Singleton, whose white and green design sits alongside Mr Robinson’s Torres Strait Islander patterned blue and green design. Cairns Mayor Bob Manning thanked the three artists for their generous gift and designs, and said the colourful crabs were sure to attract attention in Cairns, as they did in Europe. “Art should inspire us and these pieces certainly do that,” Cr Manning said. “I am sure Malu Githalayl will attract a similar level of attention, wonderment and selfies as Mr Robinson’s iconic pieces in the city. Mr Robinson’s sculptures interact so beautifully with the natural environment around them. “The crabs look as if they are emerging from the surrounding vegetation, which I know will delight children, tourists and locals alike who come across the sculptures as they wander the paths of Centenary Lakes.” Onespace Gallery Director John Stafford congratulated both Cr Manning and Mr Robinson at the donation of the sculptures to the Cairns Regional Council Collection. “Brian is delighted to give back to the community which has supported his career so enthusiastically. All of these artworks boost the city’s cultural tourism offering to both interstate and international visitors,” Mr Stafford said. Artist Hendrick Fourmile said his red design gave insight into where his ancestors would go looking for mud crabs, and also captured design elements from the nearby mangroves. Artist Tarquin Singleton described his design style as a combination of realism and traditional patterns, which reflected the ancestral lines of his mother and father. “I chose a green ochre colour with a design that represents the anatomy of the crab – with the gills and chambers – and also reflects the landscape where it is sitting,” Mr Singleton said. The metal and aluminium crabs have been placed and fabricated in such a way as to allow them to be touched and explored by locals and visitors.