Queensland X-Ray has had the unique opportunity to scan several artworks by Indigenous artist Dylan Sarra, as part of his First Nations Fellowship with Queensland Museum.
Dylan Sarra, a Taribelang/Gooreng Gooreng artist from the Bundaberg region, based in Meanjin, Brisbane, uses his work to tell important stories about culture and identity.
His latest piece, Where the map was drawn, memories remain, displays a striking timber installation of 7 historic gulmari shields. Taking 3 months to complete, the piece explores themes of truth, memory, and the enduring weight of silence in Australian history. The installation reflects his evolving research into the layered histories of Indigenous resistance, migration and forced labour within the Burnett region. The shields can be seen on Level 2 of Queensland Museum Kurilpa.
Queensland X-Ray’s partnership with Queensland Museum has historically seen our teams provide medical imaging for biological research, such as scanning fossils and dinosaur bones. This time, however, the team at our Bowen Hills practice were honoured to apply their technology to the world of art, capturing intricate details of Dylan’s work for documentation and further study.
Using CT and X-ray technology, these scans have gone beneath the service, capturing intricate cross-sectional images of the timber structure. The detailed 3D imaging provides a deeper understanding of the piece's composition, revealing tree growth patterns and internal features like knots, cracks, and other imperfections in the timber.
Queensland X-Ray is proud to support this unique collaboration with Dylan Sarra and Queensland Museum, using medical imaging to capture art.