Saturday, December 19, 2015

Endangered Species: Just part of natural cycles of extinction?

In many of my artworks to date, I have depicted endangered species of Australian birds, especially parrots. Some of them are listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable, the lowest risk level, and others, like the Orange-bellied Parrot, are listed as Critically Endangered, which is "two steps away" from Extinction. (the next is Extinct in the Wild and then officially Extinct. done. dusted. bye-bye)

In addition to birds, I've recently begun looking into Endangered plant-life and I found out that one of the Eco-systems that used to dominate the ACT and parts of NSW is now Endangered; "Natural Temperate Grasslands". This kind of habitat is dominated by native grasses like Kangaroo and Wallaby grass, tussocky grass and many small flowers and plants. There are very few trees, covering less than 10% of the area. There are also particular insects, lizards and birds that have a reliance or affinity with this habitat, such as the Golden Sun Moth.

The Pre-European settlement (so, pre-1800's) extent of "Natural Temperate Grasslands" or NTE, is estimated at 470,000 ha. Now it is only present across 58,000ha meaning it has suffered a 98.8% decline! You can imagine how European settlers easily pictured the rolling grassy plains as prime sheep-grazing country and began its deterioration.
Some other factors in the loss of NTE have been urban/infrastructure development, invasion by weeds like exotic grass species and changed fire regimes.

an example of Natural Temperate Grassland

It's easy to feel a kind of melancholy or hopelessness about these disappearing habitats and birds. When I depicted them in my work previously, I was alluding to the sadness of their impending loss but also trying to merely capture their present-tense beauty and unique qualities without any specific message; "this is them as their unique beautiful selves."

But I wonder now, whether the sadness we attach to the loss of species is just a human projection of the fear of dying and loss? It's also interesting to realise that cycles of extinction have been taking place since...forever.

Some suggest that whilst the demise and eventual extinction of particular species is a natural process that has been repeating ad-infinitum since we can fathom, the most recent period of loss is occurring 100x faster than previously (than previous extinction events, occuring millions of years apart).
Whilst previous cycles of extinction would have happened "naturally", caused perhaps by changes in climate, ocean levels or eruptions etc, now we are adding in the reckless hand of that pesky Homo sapien.

So of course there are legitimate reasons to be angry and upset about the loss of species, for example where poaching or serious human error is to blame. For other cases though, where introduced species are encroaching on native species habitat's or where the drought has changed a landscape so that a particular bird can no longer survive in that location, maybe we can take a step back from an emotional response and realise that, cruel as it is, nature is just fulfilling its cycle.

There were some interesting articles written about the way that funding is awarded to the rescuing of species that are on the brink, based ultimately upon their cuteness or popularity with the general public (ie Yeah! let's pour loads of money into the conservation of those cute squidgy Koalas we love so much, but a green spotted tree insect? hmmm, nahhh.) Maybe we are wasting our time and money trying to intervene in an inevitable situation? I don't know, I'm just playing devil's advocate here. I want beautiful little Swift Parrots to stay in existence as much as the ANU researchers who are dedicated to studying and protecting them. But why are we trying to keep them on anyway? For our pleasure? for the future generations?

I suppose we are trying to keep all the links of the delicate eco-systems around us in place so that they don't crumble further and another crucial link slips out of place.

Some of Australia's threatened Parrots. L-R: Extinct Paradise Parrot, Critically Endangered Orange Bellied Parrot, Endangered Western Ground Parrot, Endangered Carnaby's Cockatoo and Endangered Swift Parrot...

Another reason I've been thinking about this inevitable process of change and re-shuffling is from observing the natural surroundings of suburban Canberra. There are many designated Nature Reserves that lie around the edges of the Canberra suburbs, walking trails along hillsides, creeks, river tracks, grasslands. Walking and riding my bicycle around and through some of these reserves I've been noticing different species that appear in the different seasons. There are some spectacular flowers, fruits, trees and plenty of "weeds".

What I've noticed is that if I were attempting to be a purist and only depict "native species" in my artwork, for example, I would be having to subtract a significant proportion of what I see in front of me. We have many designated "invasive species" in the ACT. They are considered introduced if they are originally from overseas or even from a different eco-system within Australia; if they are somewhere they haven't been before.

Some of these weeds are beautiful. Pink climbing roses, purple flowering Patterson's curse. Strange fuzzy leaves plants that look like cabbages. Tangled nests of prickly blackberries. They are undeniably a part of the landscape now.



Maybe, just maybe, we accept that environments change; that they are fluid and operating as they will. We can try and intervene in that (goodness knows we are excellent at meddling) or we can observe the beauty of what we see, accept that it has developed from something and will continue to change, without trying to get our itchy fingers in there to try and fix it. (* that said, I do think we have a responsibility to not make things worse, if it is within our ability and to not knowingly harm the environment...)

And it's also interesting to note that a "weed" is just another plant. To quote from a book by Environment ACT, "Animals and plants don't make distinctions between weeds and native species. Weeds to non-human organisms are just another plant..." What we have labelled "weeds" can actually make up 25-33% of the flora present in Natural Temperate Grassland and this does not necessarily transform the habitat because "species richness does not equate to dominance"... Interesting... I'm tempted to draw links here with multiculturalism and ideas about what is native and what is exotic...but that will need some more mental kneading first, I think.

"Hey! I'm not a weed! I'm just a plant who's new around here!"

Soon, I think I'm going to make a series of works that document Natural Temperate Grassland and also these "invasive species". A proud portrait of a sprig of Salvation Jane. A messy nest of flowering Blackberry bushes. A rosehip bush in all its prickly detail. Maybe they will make people squirm? Maybe they will just be a testament to the unique, details of the nature around us, now.

Friday, December 18, 2015

My Artwork going up in lights! 私の作品がプロジェクションマッピングで使われる!

I think I am finally allowed to share some exciting news...
今日はやっと嬉しいニュースを宣伝できます!

My artworks will be part of the projections on some of our National Institutions as part of the 6th Enlighten Festival in Canberra next March!
Over the 9 nights of the festival, many light-themed events bring Canberrans out to enjoy the crisp Autumn weather. The projections are a popular backdrop for live music, performances, roving performers, lit up art installations and the popular lantern-lit noodle markets.
See the promotional video below ↓


Enlighten 2014, The National Portrait Gallery

2016年3月、キャンベラで行われる「ENLIGHTEN祭」において、私の作品がいくつかのビルにプロジェクションマッピングで使われます。

来年のENLIGHTEN祭は六年目のイベントです。9日間の夜にかけて、光りをテーマにするパフォーマンス、ライブ、プロジェクションマッピング等が開催されて、キャンベラがとても賑やかになります。キャンベラは秋の3月から涼しくなるのをかかわらず、沢山の人が夜まで楽しむ祭りです。

キャンベラ市は計画都市なので、ビジネス街は一応都心部になっていますが、その南に大きな湖があって、その周りに全部の国立のビルが建てられました。(国立美術館、国立図書館、元の国会議事堂、現在の国会議事堂、国立高等裁判所, 国立なんとか、国立なんでも...)その辺の方が文化の中心地となっています。

Enlighten 2014 - Projections on the National Library of Australia

For next years' Enlighten, many national buildings will be lit up with the projections. Each building will have the work of several artists projected upon their exterior walls in a loop. I'm lucky enough to be developing imagery for three buildings: Old Parliament House (now known by the more fancy name of "The Museum of Australian Democracy"), Questcon (The National Science and Technology Centre) and the National Portrait Gallery.
Other main buildings included in the projections are the National Library and the National Gallery.


来年の祭では、5っのビルはプロジェクションマッピングに使用されます。色んなアーティストが選択されて、各ビルに数人の作品がループに写されます。
私は三つのビルの外側に写すイメージを作らせていただいています。
国立科学センター、国立ポートレートギャラリーと元の国会議事堂。

そういう偉いビルの外側なんかに私の作品がプロジェクションされるなんて想像しなかったものですね!
今は、作品を丁寧にビルの形に合わせていて、進んだらまたディテールをここでシェアしたいと思っています。
それまでには、去年の写真がここここで見えます~

It's exciting and intimidating to think that my humble little artworks will be projected in gigantic form on the side of some of our iconic National buildings!! Especially Old Parliament House! It's such a classic building, built to house the first National Parliament of the new Federation of Australia from 1927. With all it's architraves, decorative railings and flat roof style (can you tell I know nothing about architecture?!) it is a beautiful artwork in itself.

I'm currently working on refining my planned artworks for the three buildings and hope to share some details with you as that progresses.