2024 First Nations Dress Artwork

The Melbourne Vixens' 2024 First Nations dress has been designed by proud Kamilaroi woman and artist Teagan Malcolm, who lives and paints on Wurundjeri Country.

THE THEME

Through a collaborative process in consultation with the Vixens' athletes and coaches, the club sought a design based on the theme 'foundations'. A reflection of our connections on Wurundjeri country, with John Cain Arena as the host of our home matches and the State Netball Centre as the home of the Vixens and netball in Victoria. Our foundations are the stabilisers of netball in Victoria, from grassroots to the elite level.

THE ARTIST

I'm Teagan – a proud Kamilaroi woman, illustrator, and artist. Ten years ago, I first moved to Melbourne. I’m honoured to have been welcomed so warmly into the community and am proud to call Wurundjeri Country home.

Creativity has always been my driving force. As a child I was constantly immersed in art, exploring every medium within reach. In 2020, I returned to Melbourne after some extended time overseas. Yearning to reconnect with myself and my community, I began making art regularly and carved out time to explore my connection to culture. This reconnection to my ancestral art of storytelling has brought me incredibly close to myself, my community, and my family.

My work is a collaboration between traditional Aboriginal storytelling practices and modern graphic design and illustration techniques. Each piece is a reflection of contemporary families, communities and experiences. I hope that by capturing these stories through my art, I may preserve them for many generations.

For me, art is more than a personal joy – it's a crucial component in the revitalisation and preservation of our culture, our language, and our stories. My work is a small piece in a greater effort to reclaim our narrative and celebrate the resilience of Indigenous peoples. For this reason, I am incredibly proud to have been chosen and supported by the Melbourne Vixens to be their 2024 First Nations artist.

THE ARTWORK

THE PROCESS

Place – I initiated the process by mapping out the foundational places of the Vixens, Netball Victoria, and John Cain Arena. I aimed to highlight the connection these locations have to the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung lands on which they stand. I achieved this by incorporating the shapes of the surrounding parklands into the design. Additionally, you'll notice the Yarra/Birrarung river winding through the piece. John Cain Arena and Netball Victoria stand side by side in this artwork, symbolising their interconnectedness. They are bound together by the love, passion, and dedication of the Vixens' fans.

People – When I began reflecting on the 2024 theme of foundations, it was important for me to not only represent the physical spaces used by the Vixens but also to acknowledge what brings those spaces to life – people. Family and friends play a vital role in my foundation and contribute to its strength, and I aimed to convey this in this year's design. In the top left corner, you’ll find seven players, each representing a position on the court. In the opposite corner, the wider Vixens team is depicted, everyone who works tirelessly to keep the season running. Across certain regions, the ‘U’ shape is used to symbolise people, as they are the shapes left behind in the sand after sitting and storytelling. In this piece, you can see Vixens fans, far and wide, represented by this symbol.

Many other elements of the artwork have been carefully chosen to symbolise joy and celebration, serving as a blessing for the team for a wonderful 2024 season.

THE DRESS

FIND TEAGAN

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