Radical Women is a multimedia artwork that celebrates the collective impact of the trailblazing Wonthaggi Miners Women’s Auxiliary.
It is located on the wall of the Union Theatre in Wonthaggi, Bass Coast Shire Council on Bunurong country.
The artwork was created by multidisciplinary artist and sculptor, Kay Abude. For this project, Kay connected deeply with local people as “the story of the Wonthaggi Miners' Women's Auxiliary belongs to them”.
Community members participated in workshops to share their knowledge, memories and perspectives. They sourced material from historical archives, then screen-printed images onto textiles and paper. They used inks made of black coal from the State Mine in Wonthaggi.
They also used collage and sewing techniques to create compositions that Kay worked into the final design.
Radical Women can be seen on the wall of the Union Theatre, which was built in 1925 by the Miners’ Union. The textile and community-led design work is displayed inside.
The trailblazing Wonthaggi Miners Women’s Auxiliary formed in 1934 to organise community support for coal miners. They were on strike over pay cuts, mass lay-offs and unsafe working conditions.
By directly supporting mining families and organising miners’ wives, they helped to maintain the five-month strike action until the workers’ issues had been addressed.
The Auxiliary was the first group of its kind. It played a significant role in the national labour movement, inspiring women to organise in coal mining communities around the world.
The Victorian Women’s Public Art Program is funded by the Victorian Government’s Community Support Fund and administered in partnership with McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery. McClelland supports contemporary artists to develop, create and present their work, and manages a range of programs to commission artwork.