22nd Biennale of Sydney: NIRIN Learning Resources

NIRIN LEARNING RESOURCES

The National Art School joins the 22nd Biennale of Sydney: NIRIN, under the artistic direction of acclaimed indigenous Australian artist Brook Andrew. NIRIN means edge in the language of the Wiradjuri people of western NSW, Brook’s mother’s nation.

The resources here and on the 22nd Biennale of Sydney’s website are a starting point for educators and families to adapt accordingly to their needs, providing background information, inquiry questions, creative learning activities and recipes. The resources have been designed for all young people to engage with.

NIRIN at Home

Hybrid plant exquisite corpse drawing

This featured #nirinathome artmaking activity is an adapted exquisite corpse drawing game of a hybrid plant, inspired by Andrew Rewald’s Alchemy Garden of native and introduced plant species.

Play your own exquisite corpse drawing game, this time creating your own ‘hybrid plant’ inspired by Andrew Rewald’s Alchemy Garden of native and introduced plant species.

This drawing game is best played with 2–4 people so play along with friends and family!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

  • a piece of paper for each person
  • coloured pencils or textas

METHOD

  1. Each person starts with an A4 or A3 piece of paper.
  2. Fold your paper equally three times to create four horizontal drawing sections. From top to bottom each section will mark out the leaves, branch, seed and root system (see below)
  3. Everyone starts by drawing their version of a plant’s root system. When finished, fold your paper over and pass your drawings clockwise to the next person.NOTE: Before you fold your section to hide from everyone else, mark the edge of your drawing in the following section (so that when unfolded, the picture connects and makes sense)
  4. Continue this process until each person has drawn a seed, branches and leaves
  5. Unfold your drawings and compare the new garden of hybrid plants you’ve just created!

Questions

  • Name your new plant species. What climate does it grow in? What purpose is it used for? Can your plant be brewed to make tea? If you eat it, does it give you magical powers?
  • Share your plant with us! #NASconnect  #nirinathome

More information

An ‘exquisite corpse’ is a drawing game developed by artists in the Surrealism movement. A drawing is passed around between a group of people, folding and hiding sections for others to complete, so that when unfolded produces a bizarre, unexpected and wacky artwork. Learn more about them here: Explaining Exquisite Corpse, the Surrealist drawing game that just won’t die!

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Andrew Rewald NIRIN WIR Program image 2
1.Andrew Rewald_Alchemy Garden
AlchemyGardenFeb20
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