The Golden Tapestry

Australia

Miss Eagle discovered something wonderful yesterday - a wonderful display of children's creativity under the title, The Golden Tapestry. You can find some of it at The City Library and more at the CAE Gallery, 96 Flinders Street facing Federation Square.

The Golden Tapestry has so far involved over 700 primary and special schools across the whole Commonwealth. Each school has made a metre square of textural embroidery contributing to a story covering a year in the life of the Commonwealth. The artworks describe what different aspects of their lives the children would most like to show Her Majesty the Queen, as Head of the Commonwealth, if she were to visit them. The briefs the children work on all reflect the principles that unite the Commonwealth, global citizenship and civic values, and conservation and the protection of the environment. The project is designed to help foster understanding and friendship between people and communities in all parts of the world and to reinforce social cohesion. This exhibition will include up to 360 tapestries with schools from every state and territory in Australia and every region of the Commonwealth represented.

The Caribbean

Miss Eagle hasn't photographed 360 tapestries but over the next few days will publish a few just to whet your appetite. There are a wide variety of techniques including the use of 3D people involved. There's the cute, the pretty, the stunning, the boastful in a wonderful exuberance. Miss Eagle felt that as a citizen of the Commonwealth she belonged to all of this and it was a wonderful feeling to experience when juxtaposed to the increasing Americanization of Australian culture. This is the special thing that the Commonwealth of nations has to bring to us. A host, a web of special international relationships. There is diversity but a basic commonality. This for the next eleven days is being celebrated in Melbourne with the Commonwealth Games.