Waup has exhibited at prominent venues such as the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), the Fremantle Arts Centre, the Art Gallery of South Australia and ReDot Gallery in Singapore, while her works have been acquired by the NGV, Mornington Peninsula Shire and numerous councils and collections nationally and internationally.
Waup is a multidisciplinary artist who uses various techniques and materials to share her story.
“My work revolves around the idea of a story that always includes family, history and connections with this land,” she said.
“Often the pieces I produce have a circular shape, because circular for me represents family.”
Waup melds traditional art forms and methods with a contemporary practice to create distinctively original weavings and works on paper.
“My works are an expression of who I am – of my past and my future,” she said.
The wonders of nature are also a recurring theme in Waup’s work, and she often uses organic materials such as feathers and found objects to create tactile masterpieces.
“Feathers represent my connection with nature and the land, as well as a sense of belonging,” she explained.
Waup’s talent has been exhibited beyond galleries; she has also participated in Melbourne Fashion Week with Melbourne designer Ingrid Verner, showcasing a collection of special garments featuring her prints.
The thoughtful and spirited artist said the experience was a “childhood dream come true”.
“When I was a teenager, I often sewed with my mother and I made my own clothes,” she added.
Much of Waup’s work is inspired by her personal story and experiences of love, protection, suffering and research.
Born in 1971, Waup was separated from her Gunditjmara and Torres Strait Islander family as a baby and adopted by Bruno Scarcella and Mary Faraone Scarcella.
Her grandparents migrated to Australia from Calabria in the second half of the 1920s, in search of new opportunities and a more prosperous future for their children.
Waup was raised on family values, witnessing the many sacrifices her parents and grandparents made in the name of their loved ones, particularly their children.
“I have many fond memories of times spent with my brother Bruno and our family,” she said.
“My grandparents had a big garden and made their own wines and sausages.”
Representing her life’s journey of discovery and connection, Waup’s work also explores the theme of protection.
“Through my art, I tell of how information, family and Country are protected,” she said.
Much information has been kept from Waup in an attempt to protect her, and she is still coming to know and understand her Aboriginal origins.
“I’m on a lifelong journey to discover and connect with my ancestors,” she said.
“There’s an incredible Aboriginal community in Melbourne and in some ways they’re like a family you choose; there are people with whom I have a lot in common and who have a similar experience to mine.
“I’m very grateful to be part of it.”
Over the coming months, Waup will curate an exhibition in Alice Springs, as well as exhibiting her own work and teaching in the Master of Contemporary Art program at the Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne.
