Unity

Unity, a powerful artwork crafted from the plastic wrappings of floral tributes to the victims of the Christchurch mosques shootings, is on display to mark the first anniversary of the attacks.

While the thousands of floral tributes were composted after the attacks, many of the colourful wrappings were saved and given to the Giving Seeds of Love initiative to develop an artwork. Unity was designed and made by Simone Johnstone of Flower Girl and her husband Kris and father-in-law Colin, with support from Bunnings Warehouse and the Government’s Ethnic Communities Development Fund.

It was presented to the Muslim Association of Canterbury in July 2019 who in turn gifted it to the Museum to care for. The Museum has recently worked with representatives of the Muslim community to select a representative sample of the tributes for the Museum’s collection. Some of these will also be on display.