The Australian Coat of Arms has been depicted by different artists throughout Parliament House, offering a variety of interpretations of the iconic kangaroo, and emu. The presence of the Coat of Arms in all instances acknowledges formal Commonwealth ownership and authority.

Designed by Gordon Andrews, and fabricated by Rhyl and Robert Hinwood, the large distinctive glazed terracotta ceramic is installed in within a wall aperture above the Speaker’s chair. The joint lines between the moulded ceramic tiles are purposefully left visible to reveal, rather than disguise, how the work was created. This results in the final work being presented in a clear and transparent way, reflecting the values of the proceedings below.

Detail of the completed Coat of Arms; courtesy of Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp Architects.

Commission of the Coat of Arms
Integral to the design of Parliament House are site-specific art and craft works commissioned by the Parliament House Construction Authority. All of these works responded to detailed design briefs prepared by the architects, Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp (MGT). More than 85 Australian artists and craftspeople were commissioned for the design of over 70 works of art and craft for specific locations or uses in the building and its precincts. Together they created a series of works that communicates the diverse historic, cultural, and political contexts of the Parliament to Australian identity and democracy.

All commissioned Coats of Arms at Parliament House had to meet the specifications set out in The Armorial Ensigns of the Commonwealth of Australia. The artists followed a guide of which elements were fixed, and which were open to interpretation, written by Australian designer Stuart Devlin. Devlin understood the challenges of re-interpreting the Coat of Arms from his work designing the first Australian decimal coins in 1966.

The design brief stated:

… the Coat of Arms is intended to be ‘read’ as belonging to the wall rather than being an additive element imposed upon the wall.

… All of the surfaces within the Chamber are designed to be simple and unobtrusive in recognition of the fact that the room is a work-place in which the work of a democracy must be the focus of attention rather than any opulence of the surroundings. In that regard, the presence of the Coat of Arms is intended to be a clear yet subtle one, giving a quiet sanction to the vital importance of the proceedings within the Chamber’s space.¹

Gordon Andrews, whose design for the Coat of Arms was accepted for development and fabrication by Rhyl and Rob Hinwood, was one of the oldest commissioned artists, more than 70 old when he began the project. His contributions therefore speak to the heart of the purpose of the Art/ Craft program to create opportunities for artists from a diverse range of backgrounds.

The fabrication artists worked in collaboration with the architects under a tight schedule and high-quality technical standards. The finished product is a testament to the artist’s adaptability and creativity to work with the medium’s unique challenges and strict display requirements.

Designer Gordon Andrews and artist/fabricator Rhyl Hinwood consulting on the detailing of the pattern for one of the three sections of the ceramic Coat of Arms; courtesy of Mitchell/Giurgola & Architects.

Rob Hinwood installing the Coat of Arms; courtesy of Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp Architects.

Gordon Andrews
Gordon Andrews (1914–2001) was an Australian designer, considered a ‘renaissance man’ of the art world due to his multi-disciplinary talents including sculpting, painting, silver-smithery and carpentry. In 1955 Andrews was the first Australian to be elected a Fellow to the UK Society of Industrial Artists and Designers, and in 1985 was awarded the gold medal of the Design Institute of Australia. He is well known for having designed the Australia’s $1, $2, $10, and $20 banknotes in 1966, and the $50 note in 1973.

Dr Rhyl Hinwood AM
Rhyl Hinwood (born 1940) is a Brisbane-based sculptor who is best known for her decades-long commission to complete the set of sandstone carvings on the Great Court of the University of Queensland, where she has completed over 250 works. She studied her craft at the Central Technical College in Brisbane under instructors such as George Virine. In 1986 she won a Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship for sculpture, and in 2006 she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to the arts.

Robert Hinwood
Robert Hinwood (1936–2016) was a Brisbane- based artist with experience in building, leather work and ceramic art. He often collaborated with Dr Rhyl Hinwood AM in the fabrication and installation of her sculptural commissions.

References
1. M. Pamille Berg, Interwoven: the commissioned art and craft for Parliament House, Commonwealth of Australia, 2018, p.141.