The Steelworks: Women’s Work, draws inspiration from the powerful documentary Women of Steel (2020), which tells the story of the Jobs for Women Campaign—a significant movement that began in 1980 when women took a stand against gender discrimination at the Port Kembla Steelworks. Excluded from steelwork jobs and limited to poorly paid work in the textile and clothing industry, these women united in a landmark fight for employment equality. Their collective action eventually led to changes that opened new opportunities for women in the workplace.
The evolving art installation includes mild steel vessels partially covered with linen that has been digitally printed with details from photographs of the Port Kembla Steelworks’ weathered steel surfaces. This fusion of materials reflects resilience and unity. Linen, made by weaving together individual fibres and threads into fabric, is used as a symbol of collective strength. Just as threads woven together create a strong fabric, these women’s united efforts transformed the workplace, setting a precedent for equal employment rights and laying the groundwork for future generations.
Lindy McSwan was born, lives, and works in Naarm / Melbourne, Australia. Her creative practice developed through the study of gold and silversmithing. After completing a BFA Hons in 2014, Lindy received an Australia Council for the Arts ArtStart Grant in 2015. Her work has been exhibited, collected, and awarded nationally and internationally.
In 2018 Lindy received the Alchimia Student Award at JOYA Barcelona Spain with vessels from her MFA project. She was a finalist in the 2022 and 2024 Robert Foster Metal Prize, at Craft and Design Canberra. In February 2023, Lindy completed an MFA by Research at RMIT University. She recently presented new work in a solo exhibition titled Re.surfacing, at Shopfront 342 gallery during the 2024 Radiant Pavilion, Jewellery and Object Biennial.
Metal