By arts editor Helen Musa
A four-metre-long Murray cod sculpture, created through the combined efforts of more than 60 local artists, welders and weavers, was unveiled at Tuggeranong Arts Centre on Saturday by MLA Taimus Werner-Gibbings.
Made from fabricated steel and hundreds of woven circles, the temporary outdoor sculpture, titled Mandji, has been in development since February and is a major feature of the 2026 Craft + Design Festival.
The centre celebrated the unveiling with music, food and a carp-off at Lake Tuggeranong, run by OzFish senior project officer Harry Davey.
As reported earlier, the sculpture’s steel framework, designed by Steven Holland and fabricated by Mag Welding Services, arrived at the centre in July, when the weaving began under the centre’s Weaving Waters: Mandji the Murray Cod program.
Visual arts program manager Ann McMahon says the final stage involved sewing together hundreds of colourful, textured woven pieces before attaching them to the steel fish to recreate the distinctive speckled patterning of a Murray cod’s skin.
Participants used recycled materials, including fishing line and baling twine, alongside natural fibres such as river reeds, raffia and New Zealand flax. Each week, a different guest joined the weaving circle to share stories.
McMahon praised the Murray-Darling Basin Authority for its interest and support in ensuring the artwork has a life beyond the festival. Half of Mandji will be installed in the authority’s main office, while the other half will be displayed on a lake-facing wall at Tuggeranong Arts Centre.
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