The story behind the NBL1's First Nations art

In celebration of NADIOC week, the Coles Express NBL1 has revealed its inaugural Indigenous art for the First Nations Round, taking place from July 8-10. 

Learn more about the NBL1 First Nations Round here.

The NBL’s First Persons and Multicultural Liaison, and proud Wiradjuri woman from central New South Wales (Leeton and Wagga Wagga), Janelle McQueen, has created the artwork below.

(Full painting of the NBL1's First Nations art by Janelle McQueen)

McQueen has been an Indigenous artist for 15 years and has created a piece that truly represents Australia and the NBL1 simultaneously. 

The NBL1 is the only Australian league that is played in all eight States and Territories, and the artwork represents all of these different places across the country brought together by basketball, placed in the centre of the piece. 

McQueen explained the art of Wiradjuri people is based on their heritage of traditionally being tree carvers. 

“A lot of the art work we do is more line work, not so much dot [art],” she said.

“This piece represents all of the eight States and Territories. It shows the beginning of the league itself, the present, and moving into the future. 

“This piece covers all the States and Territories and with their own unique stories and elements to them.”

McQueen described the main part of her piece as the centre, which includes a basketball connecting to all the different States and Territories.

“The centre includes a male and a female, the object between them is a shield which represents the ceremony of coming together,” she said. 

“The different colours are selected by the clubs themselves, selecting what they’d like to represent them.”

McQueen described what each colour from each State and Territory represents below. 

• New South Wales (Light Blue) is best known for its ports and beaches, but also included the open plans, main river systems and mountain ranges in this painting.
• Victoria (Navy/Dark Blue) being a state of many seasons is represented by symbols of rain, wind, sunshine and new growth.
• ACT (Royal Blue) has symbols for the plentiful lands, snowy peaks and water systems.
• Tasmania (Green) is represented with symbols being surrounded by water, green hills and unique history.
• South Australia (Red) has symbols of the open plans, rich colourful lands with a strong inner strength.
• Western Australia (Yellow) is known for its vast landscapes, rivers and mountains ranges.
• Northern Territory (Orange/Burnt Orange) is a place of long tracks and beautiful plains.  I have represented this with the symbols for long overlapping travelling and water holes.
• Queensland (Maroon) has symbols for its sunshine and beaches and mountain ranges.