Digital Gathering by Lawson Dodd
Date Published: 3rd Jul 2025
Digital Gathering was created by Lawson Dodd — a Kaurna, Narungga, and Ngarrindjeri artist — for the Information and Digital Services team at Flinders University. The work’s narrative reflects the team’s broad reach and the unified identity it upholds.
The IDS is an ever-evolving space that provides a supportive technical approach to the overall, streamlined operations of Flinders University. This artwork uses traditional First Nations symbology to help tell the story and themes of connection, growth, innovation and sustainability.
The large circular shapes are traditional symbols for a gathering or meeting place. The layout of these shapes represents the various faculties of Flinders and how they are all part of the same community network. The smaller surrounding arc-like shapes are the individual people engaging together on campus. These connected communities stem from the central meeting place representing IDS.
The splashes of colour visualise the copious amounts of information and data kept safe and maintained within the virtual cloud. The small arrow-like symbols are kangaroo tracks. Here they are used to show the Kaurna spirit ‘Tarnda’ watching over and providing spiritual guidance — similar to how IDS provide their own guiding services.
Together, these elements help to make up the fundamental network system that connects staff, students and lecturers so that they can perform and thrive to the best of their ability.
Explore the story behind Journey into the Heart of Knowledge.