'Dolly' bra decorated by Myra Duncan

View this record on the National Museum of Australia's website

Type: Artworks, Brassieres
Date: October 2014
Place: Cherbourg Mission, Cherbourg, Queensland, Australia
Materials: Cotton thread, Plastic, Wood, textile
Collection: Many Threads collection
Accession number: 2016.0035.0005

Description

A grey brassiere (bra) with grey chiffon fixed across the top of both cups, that is then covered with embroidered wavy blue lines. Attached to the bra are decorative figurines, flowers and butterflies made of various materials that consist of plastic, fabric, thread and wood. There are two flowers on both the right and left side wing of the bra, one is pink and the other is white.

This bra won first prize in the Many Threads group 'Bizarre Bra' competition, 2013, in the category 'Novelty'. 'As we all blossom into becoming young women. It's important to plant the seed and maintain good health' - Mrya Duncan.

About the collection

The collection comprises twelve decorated bras. These come from a large art installation created by the ‘Many Threads’ sewing group established by Aboriginal women at the Ration Shed Museum in Cherbourg Queensland. It is the result of the effort of a women's group to provide an avenue for conversation and positive action in understanding and looking after their own health needs. The importance of this collection lies in the positive engagement in physical and mental healing in a culturally appropriate manner undertaken by the women that reaches well beyond contemporary health issues.

Read live from the Museum's Collection API (12/11/2026, 5:47:23 am). Record last updated by the Museum 2025-02-23. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.