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The Last Leg

Artist Claire Bailey

Date2005

Object number00040510

NameSculpture

MediumWood, steel, brass

Dimensions320 x 240 x 740 mm
3000 x 2000 x 5000 mm (entire work when displayed)

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionOne of the boat sculptures comprising 'The Last Leg' by Australian artist Claire Bailey. This particular contains fifteen figures. 'The Last Leg' is an original work that consists of six boats constructed from wood, steel and brass. It is displayed suspended from the ceiling. The boats contain metal figures of migrants fashioned from life boat ballast. A map of Australia has been excised from some of their chests. This work by Bailey encourages audiences to reflect on the nature of migration by sea, the volume of vessels which brought migrants to Australia, and their hopes and dreams which is symbolised by a map of Australia on their hearts.HistoryThe Last Leg is artist Claire Bailey's response to the waves of boat people who have migrated to Australia. In her artist's statement Clare describes how she has witnessed or been connected to three migration waves. Her parents were part of Australia great Post World War II migration to Australia. As a child she watched refugees from Vietnam arriving in boats that 'hardly seemed bigger than a bathtub' on television and she has recently witnessed the desperation of boat people from Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. Claire wants her work to be provocative, reminding audiences not only of the 'epic journeys' of recent boat people, but of 'all the journeys and voyages, starting with the First Fleet that have in part created this country... The whole fabric of our culture is influenced by the migration of people arriving by sea' SignificanceThe sculpture The Last Leg is significant in that it acknowledges the importance of migration by sea in Australia's history, and also embodies one individual's response to recent immigration legislation and policy.