Macrozamia Communis

2008

Objects from Burrawang seeds, (Macrozamia communis)
Installation in the Solitary Woman’s Hut

The Burrawang or Cycad plant is a very ancient plant dating back to times when dinosaurs were still around. The female plant carries a pineapple shaped cone with bright red fruits. The red fruit has a 4 cm long nut which contains a white starchy mass. Some Australian people used to eat this mass after having washed out the poison. I cut open these beautiful wooden seeds and emptied them. I crocheted red lace around the rims of the little cups. The bizarre forms seen on my walks of the mushrooms, the eucalyptus seedpods, and the anthills, must have had some influence on my crocheted lacework. I was fascinated about the connection this work made with an old plant and a craft that settlers brought to Australia. I found some old crocheted mats called doilies in charity shops in the nearby country town of Nowra. I finished this work with a public installation in the Singleman’s Hut. This Hut is on the property and used to be a shelter for the travelling stockmen. Now it is empty. I changed the name into Solitary Woman’s Hut.

Back in Switzerland I forged silver pendants out of the cast nut.