UooUoo, pronounced you you.
Both Melbourne and Geelong got a taste of the Me and UooUoo Art Trail back in December when six of the unique art sculptures were displayed on city streets. However, those six UooUoos have now been joined by another 94 UooUoos—all designed by Australian artists and sponsored by Victorian businesses—in support of the Royal Children’s’ Hospital 150th anniversary. (Featured image: @myvividmelbourne)
The 100 UooUoos now form an Art Trail that stretches, in Melbourne, from as far south as Elwood and goes through the city to reach Essendon. UooUoos can also be found in Williamstown and Malvern with the remaining handful out on the Geelong foreshore. They can be spotted on streets, in parks, in gardens and in laneways too.
The UooUoo, if you’re wondering, is an imaginary Australian creature designed by artist Alexander Knox, who you might know from his Creature sculpture in the RCH foyer which is often crawling with children. The UooUoo is a combination of the wombat and dugong, and is ”highly empathetic, playful and brave, but can be mischievous at times.” Perfect for our city streets.
Each UooUoo is unique. And the artists chosen to paint each UooUoo represent a diverse cross-section of Australian artists, ”including First Nation artists, street artists, sculptors, painters and up-and-coming talent.”
Sue Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of the RCH Foundation, says ”Me and UooUoo offers the unique opportunity for the community to be involved in celebrating the incredible heritage of this world-leading institution.
“Most importantly, it provides a sense of unity and aspiration, so that we can persevere through these challenging times together.”
The Me and UooUoo Art Trail is on display from 20 January to 21 March, giving intrepid city explorers two months to be able to track down every single UooUoo. Afterward, the UooUoos will go to auction in order to raise more funds and awareness of the amazing work that the RCH does.
To help you find the location of each UooUoo, use this handy map.
To support the RCH and the incredible work they do, donate today.
For more UooUoo information, check out the UooUoo website.