Icon - Rustic Rose, Women on Farms Gathering, Benalla, 2005

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Summary:: Icon created for and displayed at the Women on Farms Gathering, Benalla 2005.

Bonnie Leatham (daughter of one of the Benalla organisers) made the rustic iron rose icon with barbed wire and an old tobacco tin, found on her property. The flower symbolises time needed to reflect on one's self, and the barbed wire represents challenging times. The rose demonstrates that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places.

The closing of each Gathering and the anticipation of the next is celebrated with a formal 'baton changing' ritual, where a symbolic 'icon' is handed over from one organising committee to the next. Each item represents a story or message of some of the key themes and issues, which have shaped the meaning and experience of these women's rural identity.
Description:: Long stemmed rustic rose. Flower head recycled tin. Stem is made of recycled barbed wire which is clamped to the rose head with recycled tin. The rose is coated with a metallic finish. The artist Bonnie Leatham used recycled tin found on her property.
Acquisition Information:: Donation from Ms. Kerry Wilson - Women on Farms Gathering Benalla, 2005

Discipline:	Technology
Dimensions:	45 mm (Height), 47 mm (Width), 595 mm (Length)

Tagged with:	agriculture, art, gender roles, globalisation, politics, rural life, work
Themes this item is part of:	Sustainable Futures Collection, Victorian Women on Farms Gathering Collection, 2005 Benalla WoFG
Primary Classification:	AGRICULTURE & RURAL LIFE
Secondary Classification:	Community Activity - Women on Farms Gathering
Tertiary Classification:	symbolic objects
Artist:	Bonnie Leatham, Benalla, Victoria, Australia, 2005
Commissioned By:	Victorian Women on Farms Gathering, Benalla, Victoria, Australia, 2005
References:	Oral histories, photographs, curator's notes and research files. http://www.wofgcollection.org.au/About.aspx, viewed 12.05.2008 LDH http://cv.vic.gov.au/#, viewed 12.05.2008 LDH
Bibliography:	[Chapter] Dale-Hallett, Liza, et al. "Rural women reclaiming their place through symbols, stories and rituals"., 2008 [Article] Dale-Hallett, Liza & Diffey, Rhonda. 2006. "Motherboards and desert sands: stories of Australian rural women" Frontiers: A Journal of Women's Studies., 2006 [Article] Dale-Hallett, Liza, et al. 2006. "Creating collaborative living history; the case of the Victorian Women on Farms Gathering Heritage Collection", History Australia., 2006