Dover Plaque Project
Overview
In 1976, two Aboriginal men landed on Dover beach, and planted the Aboriginal flag, symbolically claiming the land for Indigenous Australians. One of them was the famous activist Paul Coe. In 2022, commissioned by Border Crossings’ ORIGINS Festival, Paul’s daughter Jasmine is designing a plaque to be installed permanently on Dover beach as a memorial to these events. The plaque will be unveiled with wraparound activity, including an online discussion with Paul and Jasmine Coe.
Exact dates to be confirmed. Jasmine Coe is under commission to create a new plaque that will be installed on Dover beach in the spring or summer of 2022.
About the Artist
Jasmine Coe is a Wiradjuri-British artist who studied Fine Art in England graduating in 2014 with her work exploring Portraiture. In late 2016, she travelled to Australia for the first time to connect to her Aboriginal heritage and to meet her Father Paul Coe after 20 years apart. Having struggled with race and self-identity growing up, her work now focuses on harmonising internal conflicts that arise from having two lines of heritage which together hold a traumatic history. In an attempt to heal self, painting becomes a restorative process where by the understanding of self-identity is given space to develop, while at the same time the work continues to celebrate the beauty of the natural world. Jasmine is also involved in the creation of a new gallery in Bristol, as a home for Indigenous art.
About the Organisation
Border Crossings is an intercultural theatre company, founded in 1995. Since 2007, Border Crossings has run the ORIGINS Festival, which is widely celebrated as the most culturally aware and ethically conscious platform for the presentation of Indigenous arts and culture in the UK. Previous Australian participants in the Festival have included: Heath Bergersen, Big hART, Jacob Boehme, Deborah Cheetham, Maree Clarke, Fiona Foley, Julie Gough, Ilbijerri, Karrabing Film Collective, Prof. Marcia Langton, Marrugeku, Mau Power, David Milroy, Prof. Helen Milroy, Queensland Theatre / Grin and Tonic, Christian Thompson, Noel Tovey, Joshua Warrior, Yirra-Yaakin, Zugubal Dancers (Alick Tipoti). During 2022, ORIGINS will also be hosting Jessie Lloyd within the UK/Australia Season.
