Wombat Dreaming by Greg Matthews (all images: UooUoo website)
It wasn't too long ago (last month) that I wrote about the
Me and UooUoo: The RCH150 Anniversary Art Trail. Six of them were released initially as a teaser, but now, all 100 of them are out of the paddock and residing all over the city and in Geelong from
Wed 20 Jan to 21 Mar 2021. Pronounced you-you, these wombat-like sculptures have been created by award-winning Melbourne artist
Alexander Knox, who also created the iconic sculpture '
Creature' that stands in the main foyer of the RCH. This event also marks the 150th anniversary of the RCH Melbourne by bringing colour and creativity to the streets with a spectacular public art trail. Each UooUoo, individually designed by an Australian artist, will be auctioned to raise funds for the RCH when the art trail finishes.
Great Barrier Reef Dreaming by Melanie Hava
An imaginary Australian creature with a shape loosely based on a wombat and dugong, it's a mysterious being hoping to raise lots of money for the
Royal Children's Hospital. Fundraisers have done it tough all of last year, not being able to run events the community enjoys or were able to attend, to raise funds.
Now it's your chance to shine as a community and support the UooUoo fundraiser wholeheartedly. If you happen to be flushed with dollars, think about buying one at auction, sponsor an UooUoo or do the simplest and easiest of heartfelt gestures,
donate. Your support plays an important role in changing the future of paediatric healthcare, and everyone who has ever been under the care of the
RCH knows this is a deserving cause for our children, the future generation. If you'd like to be involved in sponsorship, contact
Kate.Dear@rch.org.au for more information on how you can get involved.
A fertile world by Hayden Dewar
Head to your App Store or Google Play today and download the
FREE Me and UooUoo 2021 app to help you find all 100 UooUoos across Melbourne and Geelong. When you find an UooUoo, you can enter the 4-digit code into the app and you might unlock a reward from one of the sponsors. There are lots of rewards to collect and competitions to enter. On the App, you can use the
COLLECT add on button and enter the 4 digit code found on the plaque to collect the sculpture. Pinch and swipe the map to zoom in and out and be sure your location settings are set to
on to see your location on the map. You can also visit the sculptures tab and search for the display name or artist.
Umbrella Girl by Be Free
Collect sculptures, collect exciting rewards along the way, and stars, when you complete certain milestones. You'll be able to track your progress and see the most voted and collected sculptures across the entire trail. Upload your photos to the public photo gallery, which will be vetted by the team prior to being published. It'll be seen by other app players and can be shared on social media, so get creative! Trail related events will be published in the app. Visit the Events section to stay in the know and enjoy the adventure! Will you visit all 100 UooUoos? They're all gorgeous and amazing - how could you not!
Blossom by Alison White
The cross-section of creatives, including First Nation artists, street artists, sculptors, painters and up-and-coming talent have brought their UooUoo sculptures to life. Sprawled throughout streets, laneways and parks in Melbourne and Geelong, it fosters a sense of community to celebrate the hospital's special milestone year and raise much-needed funds for Victoria's sickest children. It also offers a unique opportunity for the community to be involved in celebrating the incredible heritage of the world-leading institution RCH is. Get to know the artists involved. You'll find the full
list of artists here.
Uoodinoo by Russ Brebner
Another way you could find locations of
ALL THE UOOUOOS and be pleasured at the same time by being able to look at all 100 of them online, is by following the link given and looking at each individual UooUoo for information about the location and artist and its all-important title. Discover Indigenous artists by name, as it's in alphabetical order on the website and look up UooUoo sculptures by Josh Muir, a Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara man from Ballarat, Vandal, a proud Wiradjuri mixed media artist, Associate Professor Wayne Quilliam, one of Australia's pre-eminent Indigenous photographic artists, curators and cultural advisors working on the international scene, Greg Matthews, a descendant of Tasmania's Manegin People, Melanie Hava, who was born into interesting and diverse cultures and Sharlee Dunolly-Lee, an emerging Dja Dja Wurrung artist, to name a few.
Hop on an adventure (like the image below) and have fun supporting RCH. You might recognise the artistry of The Glad Rappers (below) as their gorgeous crochet additions can be seen wrapped around trees on Swanston street, adorning the city, come Christmas time.
Woohoo by The Glad Rappers
