The 'Stump-jumpers:' National Identity and the Mythology of Australian Industrial Design in the Period 1930-19756

摘要

It is one of the findings of this paper that Australians' reactions to "rural" design objects (including the stump-jump plow, the Furphy water tank, the Coolgardie meat safe, the Holden and Ford ute) have been very different from their reactions to "urban" or, more specifically, "suburban" design objects (such as chairs, white goods, and passenger cars). Where rural objects are deemed heroic, suburban design objects are largely forgotten or are celebrated only in irony. Clear examples of this irony were the Hills Hoists held as heraldic torches on the 1996 Adelaide Arts Festival official poster, and Victa lawnmowing formation marches during the Sydney Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies. There is seemingly no national interest in the kitchenware cast in iron, passenger cars (including the influential 1935 Holden-Chevrolet Sloper), sporting goods, musical instruments, white goods, home furnishings, or other necessary urban design objects designed and manufactured in Australia. This is in stark contrast to many other design cultures (Italy, Scandinavia, and Japan, to name prominent examples) which have based their economies and aspects of their own national identities on such urban objects. Tellingly, the pioneering days of these countries are more distant than Australia's, and they seem more comfortable to project an urban self-image to the world than Australia is willing to do.