An extract from an essay by the artists, dated 2021
“A Moment in Time”, by Joan Walsh-Smith OAM and Charles Smith OAM of Smith Sculptors
Purpose:
To celebrate and commemorate the lives of two outstanding women of different ‘tribes’, each in their own way freedom fighters, committed to achieving justice for their respective communities in what became Perth, spanning the years of they both lived: 1840 to 1932.
Fanny Balbuk-Yooreel: A Noongar woman (1840-1907) “She rattled and stormed - against the changes being wrought upon her homeland”.
Edith Dircksey Cowan: a Colonial woman (1861-1932) “with fire in her heart.”
This artwork is a unique project, based on the concept of creating a sculptural ‘tableau’, combining two very significant women, in an ‘imagined’ but unique ‘moment in time’. They are captured in a hypothetical instant of exchange, which, while not obvious to them at that moment (circa 1894), when we can assume that they crossed paths in Perth, inspires us to create a symbolic gesture that holds major significance, ‘down the track’ to the present day.
Although people must still fight for their rights, the actions of Balbuk and Edith have changed the lives of so many people. They paved the way for the resolution of crucial issues that opened the path to freedom and reconciliation today.
Background:
During the transition to what we now know as Perth, momentous events took place which would irrevocably change this place and its inhabitants forever. In the years when Perth was being established as a city and during which major societal changes occurred, these two women, in their own way, left a positive mark which reverberates down through time.
Both Balbuk and Edith personify and embody the struggle to redress the wrongs of the time, which can be recognized now, from the historical perspective of 2021. People generally, in our hectic lives of the 21st Century do not make the effort to appreciate and understand the actions and motivations of the past and therefore the consequential effects that these special women had on the development of the society we live in today.
Fanny Balbuk-Yooreel:
Fanny Balbuk-Yooreel relied on her big stick (her ‘Wanna’) to empower her and enforce her objections to the destruction of her environment by the arrival of the overseas colonists. This devastation resulted from the construction of the city over her traditional home ground or ‘Country’. This was her ‘ Booja-’ her home: the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) with all its abundant sustainable resources that supported her people for many thousands of years in Whadjuk-Noongar Country destroyed by the establishment of the English ‘Swan River Colony’ in 1829.
This is illustrated by the inlaid granite artwork of the first map of Perth, placed at Balbuk’s feet, showing the ancient waterways, lakes and ‘hunting grounds’ overlaid with the ‘new’ streets of the CBD. This is the area where a commemorative walk has now been established following the original trail circumnavigating the CBD. This walk is undertaken by her successors the Noongar Aboriginal ladies of Perth today.
Balbuk points out the intrusion of the new Colonists on her home ground - glaring at us angrily, as she gestures towards the burial place of her grandmother, Moodjurgul, in the grounds of the first Government House.
Balbuk was vindicated in 2006 by the acknowledgment of the Federal Court of Australia which found that Noongar people held native title over the metropolitan area of Perth: the Noongar Native Title Claim in 2006.
(The evidence for this claim was provided by writings of Daisy Bates, from her transcriptions of the stories and statements of Balbuk, now accepted as historically correct.)
Images below: Photo of the statue of Balbuk sourced from the Government House website; and a concept sketch of Edith Cowan by the artists.
Concept:
We have been inspired to create an intriguing tableau, combining both women, in the city centre on St Georges Terrace. This is based on the concept that these two women lived many years in parallel with each other - in space and time - with many ideals and aspirations in common to achieve justice for their communities which are crucial to us today. Balbuk has received little recognition. Edith Cowan is commemorated by a clock.
Mise- en -scene:
Edith Cowan is walking down St Georges Terrace, outside Anzac House, marking the fact of her major involvement in the rehabilitation of the returned soldiers from the horrors of World War when she founded the Soldiers Welcome Home organisation. This new building is also the headquarters/home of the Karrakatta Club of which Edith was a founder, which was synonymous with Women’s Suffrage and had major influence on the education and elevation of women at the time – still enduring to this day!
Our Memorial to Fanny Balbuk-Yooreel stands in the grounds of Government House, reiterating her rights to her ancient Country. While directly across from her, Edith is striding down St Georges Terrace, going about her business in pursuing justice in the Courts and about to enter the Karrakatta Club, symbolised by the books she is carrying, and of which she was one of the founding members.
Edith halts in her urgent footsteps, an expression of concern on her face, her right hand raised in alarm, alerted by the loud voice of Fanny, protesting loudly within the present-day Government House grounds. They share this ‘moment in time’ and speak to us down through the years with their own distinctive voice.
Set in 1894:
We believe that it is appropriate that they symbolically join together to form this tableau, as their motivations for achieving social justice were the same - although their methods were different. Yet to us, in retrospect, they speak the same language. Which is all about the plight of people at the time - and especially women.
Portrayal of Edith:
For the portrayal of Edith, we have dressed her in the mode of a young lady of intellect - far away from the ideal – popular - Gibson Girl look of the period but reflecting her serious studious demeanour and sense of purpose, eschewing the frivolities of life and concentrating her attentions on her goals.
St Georges Terrace:
We also think it is important that these women find their place, symbolically, in St Georges Terrace, the centre of the city and power base of Western Australia. They will balance the many sculptures of white men on the Terrace and re-dress the current situation.
We see this as a unique opportunity to create and commemorate the wonderful story of two women whose political social activities were to the enrichment of the people of Perth - empowering them from the future, upon which they have had such influence as female social justice trailblazers.
Demonstrating that all of us have basically the same beating hearts - although the pathway to freedom and justice may be different.
(Note: Parallel lives- they both have been honoured on bank notes by the Federal Government.)
An extract from an essay by the artists, dated 2021
A note on the movement for more statues of women
Smashing the bronze ceiling
You're far more likely to see a statue of a man than a woman in capital cities across Australia. But there’s a movement around the country to see more statues of women. Here are links to some of the media stories on the topic over the past few years:
“‘Come on, this is maddening’: Of 32 statues of sporting greats, three are women”, by Megan Hustwaite, The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 March 2021
“Edith Cowan, Australia's first woman MP, barely recognised 100 years after making history”, by Laura Meachim, ABC News, 12 March 2021
“Invisible women: Melbourne’s monumental problem - and how to fix it”, by Cara Waters, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 November 2021
“Landmark recognition at Government House for early female land rights warrior”, Government House Western Australia, 8 June 2022
“Cr backs statue call with her own cash”, Perth Voice, 20 October 2022
“Why are there so few statues of women in Australia?”, by Charis Chang, SBS News, 8 March 2023
“Melbourne to honour more remarkable women with statues”, Inside Local Government, 8 March 2023
“Fare fighter, pub crawler and feminist: Zelda D’Aprano immortalised in bronze”, by Cara Waters, 30 May 2023
“Women are under-represented among public statues across Australia, but the tide is turning”, by James Vyver, ABC News, 22 September 2023
“Putting women on a pedestal: Melbourne to erect Vida Goldstein statue”, by Cara Waters, The Age, 8 December 2023
Commissioning the statue
“Addressing the growing call from the community,” Sandy Anghie
Edith Cowan’s courage and determination is evident in every one of her very long list of achievements. With the growing call from the community, I felt it was time to take action, to not only celebrate Edith Cowan with an enduring visual reminder, but to help address the gender imbalance in our city’s statues.
Women and girls should be able to see themselves represented in our city. This is particularly important to me, both as woman who has worked in male dominated professions and as a mother.
I am very proud to have commissioned this statue of the remarkable Edith, celebrating the life and achievements of Edith Cowan, inspiring others with her incredible life story - and taking another step forward in reducing the gender disparity in the representation of significant people in the history of our city.
When you look around our city, it’s clear more needs to be done to publicly recognise the significant achievements of Western Australian women. There are so many remarkable women who have helped shape our great state and yet the vast majority of artworks commemorate only men. The powerful and majestic statue honouring Edith Cowan now stands proudly in the heart of our city on St Georges Terrace.
I thank the incredibly talented Joan Walsh-Smith OAM and Charles Smith OAM for imagining and creating this powerful representation of Edith Cowan.
“Footsteps in Time”