Tag: Luke Penrith

Australian Bureau Statistics (ABS) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Brand Identity

The approach

33 Creative were engaged by the Australian Bureau Statistics (ABS) to develop an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brand identity that aims to enrich the overall experience of First Nations people engaging with the ABS’s data and services.

33 Creative engaged two First Nations artists, developing the brief for creating a contemporary artwork that foregrounds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures and experiences within Australia’s contemporary national story.

Each artist created an artwork that represented their culture and perspective on the ABS’s desire work more closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities to tell their story of people and communities.

The impact

33 Creative facilitated the combining of the artworks and worked in partnership with both artists along the way to ensure their story was as they intended.

The resulting, ‘Our Story. Our Future.’ was created by Wiradjuri, Wotjobaluk, Yuin and Gumbaynggirr artist Luke Penrith, and Maluililgal people, Badu Island artist Naseli Tamwoy.

The artwork celebrates Indigenous stories as highly visible for the benefit of future generations. It embraces the cultural importance of storytelling and information sharing, entwined with a focus on working together for a strong future for children, family and community.

The use of colours and inclusion of country, land and sea, rivers and desert, reflects the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures across the continent. Individual motifs are featured in icons to enhance visual representation of key concepts within the ABS work.

Using the finished artwork piece, 33 Creative further developed brand concepts as well as brand guidelines which showcased the brand’s application across a range of reference materials. The resulting brand has been implemented across the ABS work to engage First Nations communities, including in the 2021 National Census campaign.

Learn more about the final brand and artwork story here.

One Sydney, Many People 2021-2024

In early 2021, The University of Sydney launched its new Indigenous strategy, One Sydney, Many People 2021-2024 Strategy, which aims to support the best researchers and most promising students to achieve their full potential.

33 Creative were engaged to support the photography, design, layout and copywriting to bring the strategy to life and maximise engagement across all faculties and aspects of university business.

A key component of the visual design was developing a unique artwork that represents the pillars of the strategy and strong connection of the University to Country.

One Sydney, Many People 2021-2024 Strategy
One Sydney, Many People 2021-2024 Strategy

Commissioned artwork and interpretation

We worked with artist and friend of 33 Creative, Luke Penrith with ancestry connected through the Wiradjuri, Wotjobaluk, the Yuin and the Gumbaynggirr Nation.

The commissioned artwork titled ‘Yanhambabirra Burambabirra Yalbailinya’ depicts a rich interconnected story of knowledge, community and growth, reflecting the history and future aspiration of the University. At the centre of the artwork is the Gadi (of the Xanthorrea genus), found on the grounds of the University campus and acknowledges our location in the heart of Gadigal country.

The central flowering bud reaches out with its orange ochre heartbeat and travels to the four pillars present in our strategy: Nguragaingun – Culture and Community (base); Eora – People (top); Ngara – Education and Research (right) and Pemulian – Environment (left). The heartbeat continues on to form four fire circles, each signifying a season of the year, and further to create two waves of knowledge corners (top right and base left).

The fire and flame motif links to the desire to share knowledge and to prosper along the journey.

The four coolamons support this journey through nurturing, sharing and nourishing that is required along the way. On two of the coolamons are clapsticks, representing welcoming with song, finding food with digging sticks, grinding grains and preparing food. The other two coolamons feature progressively growing triangle shapes, reflecting growth. We know that everyone’s journey is not always direct.

Our visitors’ circle, at the base right corner, tells the story of people on a journey, not lost, but still discovering along the way. Our visitors, at the top left corner, are on a clear path, and shown with considered balance. Throughout there is representation of water, sky, sea, sand and river, all speaking of Country where the journey began. The symmetry of the design and numerical repetition tells the story of investing in people, creating balance and harmony through perseverance and determination. You may have to complete the same task multiple times before the balance is complete.

Yanhambabirra Burambabirra Yalbailinya by Luke Penrith