Sweeping
Christian Santiago
Bachelor of Industrial DesignWestern Sydney University
“‘Home’ is interconnectedness that isn’t bound by the constraints of physicality. It’s the love, experiences, and memories shared with those most important to you.”
MATERIALS: clay
Artist Statement
The primary inspiration for my Living Belonging is the fond childhood memory of my father sweeping the footpath outside of our house every morning, captured through abstraction in its path-like form and the flowing lines that travel along its surface.I utilised ‘Red Earth’ clay to create my Living Belonging as it is symbolic of the Australian land that my father tirelessly maintained despite being a Filipino immigrant. This notion of respecting land is intrinsically tied to Australia's history, whilst the idea of 'respect regardless of ancestral heritage' is evident in Australia today as old traditions and Indigenous culture continue to be taught and maintained.My linework has been meticulously carved with various hand-tools, creating details that mimic patterns found in nature. Upon feeling the textures on the sculpture’s surface, audience members' hands and fingers transform into the metaphorical broom tasked to maintain and care for my Living Belonging.
Synopsis
I have fond childhood memories of being inside our Australian home, hearing the wind whistling, trees swaying, and the distinct sweeping sound of a broom reverberating outside as my father clears our driveway of fallen leaves and debris.While most households might use mass-manufactured brooms made with synthetic fibres, plastics and metals, my father utilised a ‘walis ting-ting’ — a Filipino broom made of dried palm leaves; known for its unique high-pitched sweeping sound. The walis ting-ting is an item among many Filipino traditions that my parents shared with my sister and I after migrating to Australia from the Philippines.Building on this context, I find it interesting to then imagine a hypothetical scenario where my family is still living in the Philippines, and my father is sweeping outside of our Filipino home. Instead of gentle wind and trees swaying, I would hear roosters crowing, street vendors yelling, and the sound of bustling traffic, all drowning out the sound of the walis ting-ting until it is barely even audible.I believe that this anecdote is a clear example of how ‘Country’ is inextricably linked to ‘home’, as our experience of home can shift based on our relationships with certain people, places, and items. However, whilst specific factors that influence our experience of home may vary per individual, the core emotions and feelings from our unique experiences still remain universally understandable. As such, there is always value in sharing experiences with others, because these stories and memories have the ability to communicate universal emotions through which we are able to feel ‘at home’ together.
