The beetles are back together at State Library!
Christmas beetles by artist Elishia Whitchurch on display in the Knowledge Walk at SLQ.
Forget snow-sprinkled robins (and the Fab Four), nothing says the holiday season in Australia like our beloved kamikaze scarab; the Christmas beetle.
Each year State Library displays giant three-dimensional Christmas beetles in the Knowledge Walk to celebrate the festive season.
This year we have let them free again.
Designed by former Queensland College of Art student Elishia Whitchurch, the bespoke beetles won State Library’s 2006 Season’s Greetings competition.
Elishia’s show-stopping work was recognised for supporting the values of multiple cultural groups during the festive season.
The Brisbane art student worked with Tony Powell of Planet Productions to develop the prototypes.
Christmas beetles by artist Elishia Whitchurch on display in the Knowledge Walk at SLQ.
The jewel-like beetles are made of copper, reflecting the copper elements of the State Library building itself.
They have been immortalised on Christmas wrapping paper (sold at the Library Shop) and are the subject of good-humoured debate on social media.
Since 2006 our beetle collection has grown from 30 to 60 sculptures — see if you can locate them all when you visit the cultural precinct this holiday season.
The beetles will be on display in the Knowledge Walk, level 1, until 22 January 2018.
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