Australian War Memorial – Conserving the
Commemorative Area: Consultation summary
Background
The Australian War Memorial’s Commemorative Area
has undergone major restoration works during 201617. Concern about the deterioration of the Wondabyne
sandstone within the Commemorative Area – the
carved gargoyles and string course stonework –resulted
in a program of works to replace the stonework and recarve the gargoyles. All of these carvings were designed
to be water spouts to provide drainage for the
balconies that contain the Roll of Honour. Over time
the failure of the drainage system and the consequent
saturation of the sandstone had accelerated the
weathering and deterioration.
Within the Commemorative Area looking
towards the Hall of Memory
History
The carvings of an Aboriginal man and woman, along
with 24 Australian animals, were designed by Leslie
Bowles and sculpted in-situ by Mr. W. Swan in 1940
during the construction of the Australian War
Memorial. The two lifelike Aboriginal sculpted faces are
at the end closest to the Hall of Memory and face each
other across the Commemorative Area. The animal
carvings, more stylized than the man and woman, also
face each other in pairs along the extent of the
Commemorative Area.
Stonemason carving the original gargoyles. The
maquette or model that he is working from is on
the right.
The artistic or symbolic intentions of Bowles are not well understood, and despite extensive
archival research, journals or other personal papers of the artist are yet to be found. It is
understood that he was seeking to depict the life of Australia through these carvings, and they
are the only art works in the Memorial that do not relate to war service.
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Planning and undertaking the stonework repairs
The works have been done in accordance with the
Memorial’s Heritage Management Plan (HMP). The first
stage on the western side was completed in April 2016,
and work on the eastern side was completed in March
2017. The gardens on both sides have been redesigned
with new plantings and improved drainage.
The original plaster model for the Aboriginal
man’s face
The re-carving was done by hand to match the original
maquettes of each sculpture made by the artist Lesley
Bowles. The removed and deteriorated carvings will be
retained in the Memorial’s collection, along with the
original maquettes.
Consultation
The Memorial’s HMP requires engagement with relevant stakeholders when significant works
on the heritage fabric of the Memorial building are proposed. A program of consultation began
in July 2015, with the main components completed by December 2015. The consultation
focused on the issues associated with the refurbishment of the Commemorative Area, and on
the cultural and historical significance of the sculpted heads of the Aboriginal man and woman,
and how these particular sculptures should be treated. For example, participants were asked
to consider the extent of stonework deterioration; the proposed solutions to halt and repair
the deterioration; the likely views of visitors to the Memorial about the works; the ways the
sculptures can be variously interpreted; and to consider culturally and historically sensitive
approaches to the work.
The consultation program included individual or group meetings with AWM Indigenous Liaison
Officers (past and present) and staff involved in the project. External engagement was with
heritage practitioners including those involved in the development of the HMP, and national
veterans’ and defence groups including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and
Services Association, RSL, the Defence Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Network (DATSIN)
and Defence Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander program managers, the ACT Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Elected Body, and the local traditional custodians, the Ngunnawal people.
The overall approach to the heritage of the Commemorative Area was understood and
supported by most of those consulted. The heritage practitioners recognised the need for
conservation works to the sculptures and string course, particularly to restore the overall
design intent and prevent water penetration into other parts of the building. While the Burra
Charter’s principle of doing as little as possible but as much as is necessary is best practice, the
damage to these carvings was so extreme that replacing like-for-like was seen as the best
option combined with effective drainage to prevent or minimise deterioration of the new
carvings.
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Sculpted Aboriginal woman’s face after removal
Consultation on the sculpted Aboriginal faces was
complex with many different perspectives and opinions
expressed. Two views dominated: first that the
sculptures, in placing Aboriginal people with native
fauna, could be seen as denigrating Aboriginal people.
This viewpoint included references to the sculptures as
inappropriate, reflecting out-of-date or racist attitudes.
Some of those expressing this viewpoint felt that the
Aboriginal sculptures should be removed while others
thought they should be retained in the courtyard as
they reflected the way values associated with
interpreting them had changed over time.
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Sculpted Aboriginal woman’s face: re-carved and
installed
The second viewpoint was that the Aboriginal
sculptures are inclusive and respectful of Aboriginal
people as the first peoples of Australia and as guardians
at the heart of the Memorial’s original design. Some
who expressed this viewpoint saw the position of the
sculptures at the head of the courtyard as
demonstrating this inclusiveness and respect. Several
noted that the inclusion of representations of
Aboriginal people is an important acknowledgement in
a uniquely Australian place of commemoration. Those
holding this viewpoint wanted the sculptures re-carved
and returned to their current positions.
As the sculpted Aboriginal faces are a part of the original design of the Commemorative Area
and an integral part of the heritage of the building, it was widely agreed that removing them
would not be the best outcome. Participants recognised too that the interpretation of the
Aboriginal sculptures depended on each viewer’s perspective, and that the Memorial should
embrace these perspectives in future interpretation.
There was general agreement that it would be best that
water not drain through the sculpted Aboriginal faces,
and that they should be referred to as sculptures rather
than ‘gargoyles’ as a result. The work program was
changed to incorporate this outcome.
Careful placement of the copper drainage pipe in
the wombat carving
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Research during the consultation sought to discover if Leslie Bowles, the artist who created the
designs for the 26 carvings, had based the sculpted Aboriginal faces on known individuals. The
conclusion is that it is likely he used images of Aboriginal people that were available to him at
that time to inform his designs, but that he meant the sculptures to be representative or
symbolic of Aboriginal people in general, rather than depicting specific individuals.
As well as interest in the origins of the designs, people
were intrigued by the skills of the original stonemasons
and the challenge of carving in-situ. Visitors were able
to see the re-carving work as it was being done, this
time at ground level in a specially set-up workshop
space within the Memorial grounds, and with the
stonemason working from the original maquettes.
Jacek Lusczyk carving Kookaburra
Conclusions
A broad consensus emerged that the work to replace the weathered sandstone stringcourse
and the sculptures was necessary because of the extent of deterioration. There was general
agreement that the Aboriginal sculptures, and the intent of the design in the Commemorative
Area, are a part of the heritage fabric of the Memorial. The majority of people and groups
consulted acknowledged that there are a variety of views on the carved Aboriginal faces, that
it is important that those views are recognised, that the artist’s intent in creating a uniquely
Australian iconography is better interpreted, and that balancing all the issues, that they should
be re-carved and returned to their original position in the Commemorative Area. Future
interpretation of the carved figures should respectfully acknowledge and reflect the diversity
of views about them.
Without the consultation with and input from Indigenous ADF staff, liaison units and veterans,
heritage experts and AWM staff and guides it would have been impossible to understand the
full significance and the range of meanings that these sculptures have and represent for
different groups of people.
The Australian War Memorial thanks all those who contributed to the project, and invites you
to visit the Commemorative Area later in 2017 to view the completed works.
Christine Johnston
Director, Context Pty Ltd
March 2017
Tim Sullivan
Assistant Director, National Collection
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