Honouring Zelda D’Aprano is a life-size bronze sculpture. It captures the spirit of the day when the women’s rights campaigner chained herself to a government building to protest against a ruling on equal pay for women.
Located in front of the Victorian Trades Hall in Lygon Street, the statue invites viewers to literally stand with Zelda as the battle for gender equality continues.
Sculptor Jennifer Mann created the sculpture from a historic photograph. It was cast by Fundere Fine Art Foundry in Sunshine.
The sculpture depicts Zelda’s first act of protest – holding the chain she used to chain herself to the court building and carrying a sign stating:
No more male and female rates. One rate only.
Around the base is a quote from Zelda that reads:
Today it was me, tomorrow there will be two of us, the next day there will be three and it will go on and on and there won’t be any stopping it.
That’s what happened – 10 days later two teachers on strike, Alva Geikie and Thelma Solomon, joined in the protest with Zelda. Together they went on to form the Women’s Action Committee, leading activists campaigning across Melbourne.
On trams they paid 75% of fares because women were paid just 75% of men’s wages. They did outdoor pub crawls because women weren’t allowed to drink in bars. And they helped organise the first pro-choice rally for access to abortion healthcare.
In 2001 the Victorian Honour Roll of Women inducted Zelda in recognition of her work. In 2004 Zelda was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Artist: Jennifer Mann
Location: Victorian Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St, Carlton.
All images provided by Victorian Trades Hall Council.
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The Women's Public Art Program complements the Victorian Honour Roll of Women, which celebrates women's outstanding leadership and contributions to life in Victoria.
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Victorian Women's Public Art Program
The Victorian Women's Public Art Program aims to address the underrepresentation of women and their achievements through enduring public artworks such as statues and sculptures.
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