Lara Chamas, Backbone of Australia, 2019, Macroo Os glass, lampworked, thread, silver (infused with ethically sourced kangaroo bone)

Backbone of Australia is a handmade set of glass Islamic prayer beads, the glass infused with ethically sourced kangaroo bone, original creation of the artist.
The work is an exploration of transformation, highlighting the transitional states of belonging through life and faith, both the medium and practice of the work alluding to ritualistic processes. What started as subversivly “islamifying” a white colonial Australian icon, eventually became a serene merging of culture and icon; providing a deeper connection between the land we stand on and the heavens above.

Image courtesy Christo Crocker