It is the first ever exhibition of contemporary indigenous fashion and it overwhelmed us with its beauty, colour and high fashion designs.
Fabric is used to tell the multi-layered cultural story of the changing seasons known as water, dry, regeneration and flower seasons.
Grass or fibre is used in some instances you would never believe possible for hats, baskets and clothing.
Day Trips: Surprising Shepparton
But it is the fabrics and designs that are the star of this exhibition.
Over the years Bendigo Art Gallery has made a name for itself by presenting fashion as art with exhibitions of world renown, like Balenciaga in 2019, but this must be amongst the best.
First Nations curator Shonae Hobson has collaborated with artists and designers from all over Australia including 25-year-old Melbourne-based designer Lyn-Al-Young.
The exhibition included amazing short videos. One tells the stories behind the designs and the other shows the clothes worn and filmed at Thompson Springs.
Day Trips: Nagambie and more
This exhibition finished on January 14, but if you see it advertised elsewhere I recommend getting to it.
Of course the Bendigo Art Gallery has exhibitions all year round and will always be worth a visit.
It might take two hours to get to Bendigo, but we talked and laughed, stopped to see Tim Bowtell's painted silos at Colbinabbin and it seemed that we were in Bendigo in no time at all.
Instead of lunching at the gallery, we crossed the road to my favourite small Italian restaurant, Borchelloi (5441 4455), then window-shopped up and down the hill.
Day Trips: A quintessential little country village
Afterwards we did not come straight home, we detoured to see the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion on the outskirts of Bendigo.
This eight-story Buddhist temple is the largest in the Western world. It sits atop a hill, making its appearance huge and imposing yet softened by its surrounding Peace Park or interfaith gardens. It is a centre for peace and harmony.
The design and size is the same as the Great Stupa of Gyantse in Tibet. His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessed its construction when he was in Bendigo in 2007.
Whilst the building is finished, its decoration or painting and fit-out will take another generation to be completed, relying on labours of love and donations. By June this year several internal new works will be completed. Each visit will see changes.
Day trips: An Indigenous education
Inside there are several Buddhas of importance but most important of all is the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace. It is the largest Buddha in the world carved from one huge boulder of gem-quality translucent Jade. Beside it is the Princess Buddha, which is also carved from the same boulder found in Canada in 2000.
Before the Jade Buddha was settled in the Stupa in 2018, it started touring the world in 2007, travelling to 120 cities and 20 countries. It was seen by over 11 million people and is highly venerated.
We had an absolutely fabulous day trip, with every minute happily and rewardingly spent.
— Suzie Pearce
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