two rugs by aboriginal artists at better world arts have been used to decorate the set of new abc series crownies.
the drama follows a group of young lawyers at the department of public prosecutions as they navigate their way through legal and moral dilemmas and the pressures of their social lives.
rama sampson and diane robinson’s designs feature in office scenes of the show, which premiered last week and stars former home and away actors todd lasance and indiana evans.
better world arts director carolyn wilson says it’s exciting to see the rugs on the small screen.
“things like that always give us a thrill,” she says. “we’ve had a number of celebrities buy our work and when alexander downer was in parliament he often used to give interviews in front of one of our rugs in his home in adelaide.”
it’s also not the first time one of their products has been used as part of a set.
“we had some paintings used in a film recently that was shot in port adelaide and people take cushions for different events. now and again we’ll see them in a magazine when they’ve been photographed in someone’s home.”
wilson believes her organisation’s products are good ambassadors for the programs she runs to support remote aboriginal communities and craftspeople in developing countries.
“the higher the profile the better it is for everybody. it helps us promote the product and that in turn helps aboriginal people gain an income, it keeps handicrafts alive in developing countries where they are dying out and with the dying out of the handicrafts there’s a dying out of… really positive lifestyle.
“there’s a real symmetry with that and keeping aboriginal people in touch with their culture and keeping their culture alive via their artwork, so the more avenues there is for that the better,” she says.
