From Sea to Symbol: The Story Behind the Meri Collective Logo

When Zeena from The Brisbane Gallery travelled to Papua New Guinea recently, she captured a series of photographs that reminded us of the deep natural and cultural threads that run through The Meri Collective. Among them was an image of a striking shell — the Lambis chiragra, often called the Spider Conch.

At first glance, it’s simply a beautiful shell: spiked, sculptural, and otherworldly. But as we looked closer, we realised how familiar its form was. Its spines curve like lashes, and the dark centre glows like a pupil — a perfect echo of the eye in The Meri Collective logo.

This connection felt more than coincidental. The Meri symbol, drawn in the early days of the collective, was always meant to represent vision — the ability to see, to be seen, and to hold space for the stories of PNG women artists. Seeing that symbol reflected back through nature felt like a full-circle moment.

Nature, Culture, and Connection

In Papua New Guinea, shells are more than beautiful objects. They carry stories of trade, ceremony, and identity. They’ve been used as currency, as adornment, and as symbols of protection and status. To this day, they connect people to the ocean — the life source that sustains, inspires, and binds communities together.

The Spider Conch shell, in particular, embodies strength and femininity — its sharp exterior guarding the delicate beauty within. It’s a reminder of the resilience of PNG women and their enduring creativity, which flows from the same natural world that gives rise to forms like this.

The Vision Behind the Meri Collective

The Meri Collective was born from a desire to celebrate and support women artists from Papua New Guinea — women whose art carries the stories of generations, whose materials are drawn from their surroundings, and whose creativity is deeply rooted in culture and community.

The eye symbol in our logo — now unmistakably mirrored in this shell — stands for awareness, wisdom, and protection. It’s a visual reminder of our mission: to bring visibility to PNG women’s art and amplify their voices in the broader creative landscape.

Full Circle

When Zeena shared her photo, we were struck by how perfectly nature had echoed art — or perhaps how art had always been echoing nature. The Meri eye and the Spider Conch both speak the same language: one of beauty, resilience, and deep connection to the sea.

In this simple shell, we see everything The Meri Collective stands for — strength in softness, creativity born of nature, and the quiet, watchful power of women telling their own stories.