Burwood 150th Anniversary

To mark the 150th anniversary of Burwood Municipality, Council needed a public-facing visual system that could honour a century and a half of local history while feeling contemporary, celebratory, and accessible. The project required translating an extensive archive — over 800 historical and contemporary images — into artworks that could live boldly in the public realm and resonate with a diverse, modern community.

Working with Burwood Council, Sydney Collage Society artists Kubi Vasak, Simon Welsh and Millie Bartlett approached the project as an act of cultural synthesis. The aim was not to document history, but to activate it — connecting past, present and future through a shared visual language. By treating the archive as living material rather than static record, the strategy focused on creating artworks that felt collective, optimistic and distinctly Burwood.

The artworks were built from Council-supplied archival photographs and contemporary imagery drawn from festivals, parades, events and everyday community life. Layered, recontextualised and recomposed through collage, these fragments of Burwood’s history became vibrant, expressive compositions. The resulting works celebrate continuity and change — playful, energetic and rich with local character — capturing both the memory and momentum of the municipality.

Developed for the Burwood Banners program, the three artworks are designed to scale across the urban environment, bringing streets and civic spaces to life throughout the anniversary year. Beyond the banners, they form the visual backbone of the 150-year celebrations, appearing across a wide range of promotional materials — including library cards, bookmarks, tote bags, t-shirts, digital banners, and social media.

The project transforms Burwood’s archive into a living celebration. What began as 150 years of collected imagery now moves through the city as a shared visual experience — honouring history while inviting participation and joy. Public, inclusive and forward-looking, the artworks position Burwood’s sesquicentennial not as a moment to look back, but as a celebration of an evolving community.