APT9/ Artist Stories: Jonathan Jones

Jonathan Jones 'untitled (giran)' is a murmuration of winged sculptures. Made of almost 2,000 sculptures, Jonathan Jones’s 'untitled (giran)' is reminiscent of a map of intersecting wind currents, evoking birds in flight, and knowledge, change and new ideas circling above our heads. The work draws on the Wiradjuri concept of giran which describes the winds, change, as well as feelings of fear and apprehension.

Traditional tools are at the heart of the artwork. Bound to each tool with handmade string is a small bundle of feathers (tiny ‘wings’) – found treasures – carefully gathered and sent to Jones by people from across the country.

The circling murmuration of flying ‘birds’ is composed of six tool types – bagaay – an emu eggshell spoon, bindu-gaany – a freshwater mussel scraper, waybarra – a weaving start, bingal – a bone awl, dhala-ny – a wooden spear point, and galigal – a stone knife. Each tool has limitless potential.