Greenvale Drive Reserve

Artist: John Patten

John Patten is a Sunbury based Yorta Yorta and Bundjalung artist, historian and cultural educator, primarily working out of Melbourne Museum. John’s art practice is informed by his culture and knowledge of Country. He works in a wide variety of media, including large-scale sculptures and murals, oil portraits, carved wooden artefacts, stone tools, projection animation, and photography.

‘This work was produced as a response to the local Hume environment, informed by my culture as a Koori Victorian living in Sunbury. The design features flora and fauna found in the local surrounds, throughout Hume, including Rainbow Lorikeets and the Crimson Rosella. The plant species are all identifiable as those found locally as well, including the Lomandra and Dianella rushes, varied gum trees, Bulrushes and Water Ribbons.

This is all set against the volcanic hills and local waterways. The design was produced using concentric circles, as are common in traditional Victorian Koori styled art. My understanding of such artworks has been shaped by my family, as well as my work as a historian based at Melbourne Museum, with regular access to the largest collection of traditional art adorned artefacts in Australia.’ - John Patten