A mural featuring Wiradjuri skylore and trees has been completed for the Forbes Hospital mortuary corridor by acclaimed Peak Hill artist Scott ‘Sauce’ Towney.

Wiradjuri artist Scott Sauce Towney was commissioned to develop a mural for the Mortuary Corridor at the hospital. The mural was commissioned as part of the Lachlan Arts and Culture Program as part of the redevelopment of Parkes and Forbes hospitals.

The mortuary corridor in the Forbes Hospital is in the service area of the hospital which was not targeted in the redevelopment. This corridor is unadorned and has storage spaces on each side. Staff member, Carolyn Pearce suggested that the corridor could use a makeover to be more sympathetic to people headed to the mortuary in a time of stress. Christine met with Carolyn and Jenni McGee and a tree of life was suggested as a theme.

Scott is a Peak Hill Aboriginal Artist who has completed public art works in Forbes and the Parkes Shire. He has experience painting murals and his work is represented on footy shirts and on a $1 Australian coin. Scott has completed a series of works on Wiradjuri sky stories which has been adapted for the mural in the mortuary corridor.

The design was developed using the Yarran-Do (Yarran Tree) connecting the earth to the sky. The Yarran-Do has Wiradjuri carved tree symbols on the tree. Wiradjuri constellation designs link the tree to the sky and flow down the corridor towards the mortuary entry. The river also flows through the image.  Scott developed symbols that are relevant to the function of the mural, guiding people to the mortuary.

Arts OutWest’s arts and health team coordinated the mural project.

The mural was completed in July 2022.