Lockhart State School students, elders and local artists commenced the Front Door Art Project with a storytelling session on the community’s move from Old Site to New Site. Photo: Supplied.
The door to history is being opened through an art project connecting Lockhart River youth, elders and the local art centre.
Lockhart State School kicked off its Front Door Art Project earlier this month, during which students work with local artists to create paintings on doors based on elders’ stories of moving from Old Site to New Site.
Through engaging in storytelling sessions, students have learned about the journey of their community, from its establishment in 1924 at Orchid Point and later Bare Hill (Old Site), the resistance to move further north to Bamaga, and the agreement to move slightly north and inland near Iron Range Airport (New Site).
“We as a school in community see it as extremely important that the history of our elders, and in particular, the move that occurred from Old Site to New Site, is retained,” Lockhart State School principal Kathy Ona said.
“It’s something that evolved from work we’ve been doing in the school in regards to the history of Lockhart, and the children needing to know more about our elders.
“The elders and the school and local artists working together for that story to be told, and then represented through artwork on doors, was a creative way to keep those stories alive.”
Ms Ona said the doors held a range of meaning to represent the move and the connection between generations.
“The door from Old Site closed, and then the doors at New Site opened. It’s also metaphorical as well in the sense of doors closing and new doors opening in life, and the things that happen along the way,” she said.
“It’s also opening the door for young people to listen to the elders … and be empowered by our local artists, because we have so many talented artists in the community for our children to see how art is a very important form of expression and telling stories.
“It’s also the importance of engaging young people in schooling through doing these creative partnerships.”
Students will work on their creations under the guidance of local artists and elders before the completed doors are presented to families at the end of the school year.
