The Camden Tapestry

The Camden Tapestry stands as the penultimate work in the Camden Collection, striving to encapsulate two distinct yet interconnected moments in time: the era of colonialism and the age of commercialism. This piece challenges us to reflect on the tension between the heritage we inherit and the contemporary world in which we exist.

As Australians, we are acutely aware of the weight of our history—colonialism shaped our land, our culture, and our identity. Yet, as we move through our daily lives, our focus is often on the present: buying cars, commuting to work, and navigating a society where the consumer-driven pace of modern life dictates much of our experience. The Camden Tapestry captures this duality, showing how we are shaped by the past, but ultimately live in the now, where consumption is as central to our existence as the buildings that stand around us—buildings that have witnessed centuries of change.

In this work, the colonial past is not something we can simply discard, nor is it something we can entirely escape. We coexist with the legacy of colonialism, even as we rush towards the future, constantly buying, consuming, and adapting to the forces of commercialisation that drive our society forward. The tapestry’s interplay of past and present mirrors this relationship, where heritage is both a source of pride and a reminder of how far we’ve come—and yet, how little we have changed in some ways.

The piece asks us to reckon with the reality that we live in a world where history endures but is also overshadowed by our relentless drive to consume. It invites us to acknowledge the complexity of our existence: we are proud of the heritage that shaped us, but ultimately, we are bound to a future driven by commercial desires.

This tapestry captures that contradiction, providing a reflection on how we both honour our past and continue to navigate the present, in a world that is always changing, yet always the same.