PAMELA SEE

Project Name: It Began in Botany

Location: Waterloo, Sydney

Commissioner: Waterloo Municipal Council

Materials: Painted Mural

Dimensions: 225sqm

The completed mural by Pamela See brings a quiet intricacy and layered narrative to the façade, translating her signature paper-cut practice into an architectural scale.

Titled It Began With Botany, the dual facades reflect on the impact of Eurasian settlement of Eora, expressed through a refined interplay of form, line, and material. There is a subtle geometry to the motifs, stained into the concrete using mineral paint, depicting species of flora endemic to Waterloo. Some are now endangered, including the Omeo Storksbill and the Leafless Tongue Orchid.

Overlayed as fine, delicate linework are botanical references to Botany Road’s agricultural and industrial past, from the 19th century to the present. These include casuarina for furniture making, cotton for textile mills, and pumpkins for market gardens. The linework is reminiscent of hand-cut paper, introducing a sense of ephemerality and fragility. This prompts quiet reflection: is our presence within this ancient landscape momentary, or are we leaving a more permanent mark?

The material expression retains the tactile quality of paper cutting, with each motif appearing carefully carved and layered, despite being realised in a durable architectural medium. This translation from hand-scale craft to large-scale installation allows the work to maintain intimacy while operating across a public urban surface.

While the palette is grounded in earthy greens and warm tones anchor the work in the natural landscape, the lighter hues introduce a subtle human presence. Moments of blue reference migration and cultural layering, acknowledging the evolving identity of Waterloo.

Applied across the blade walls, the mural integrates seamlessly with the building envelope, activating transitional surfaces and unfolding gradually as one moves past. The result is both contemplative and legible. It is grounded in place, yet open to interpretation.

This public artwork is the result of a collaboration between HYG, Axolotl and Waterloo Municipal Council. Pamela See (Xue Mei-Ling) is represented by Art Atrium.