Kelly McDonald
Life Circles

Coal comes out of the ground in a lump, but it’s not useful until it’s totally pulverised; it’s the coal dust that fuels the turbines to make the power. Steel is a material used in the construction of homes, but it rusts, reacting to time and its environment. 

The materials, loops and points of connection speak of the fragility of making a new life. As the piece is worn, it will break and change, marking the wearer, reflecting the experience of migration, where new connections must be built. I found the coal on the coast of Aotearoa New Zealand, washed far from home.

By using coal I’m honouring Latrobe Valley, the place where I grew up. With 25% of the world’s reserves, it’s the largest brown coal deposit in the southern hemisphere.

My Dad worked at the power station and his Dad before him. At the height of their capacity the Latrobe Valley power stations provided 85% of Victoria’s power.

A large post-war migration from Europe to Gippsland provided the necessary labour for the mines and power stations. I grew up surrounded by people from other places.

The policy was assimilation, but there were important cultural exchanges. I learnt hello and goodbye in Polish as a wee child. I still remember my neighbours delight when I called across the fence in their language. Not for many years, did I understand what the tattooed numbers on the old lady’s arm meant, as she taught me to save tired bees with sugar water. Country Victoria was white and insular. My life would have been a lot poorer without the many small interactions that gave an insight into a much bigger world.