2020-21

ART RESIDENCY ODENSE, DENMARK

Migration Series #2

Bronze 24 x 41 x11cm

Bronze

In 2019 I participated in an art residency at Gæsteatelier Hollufgård, Denmark. This afforded an ideal environment both for working and dialogue with fellow residents. It also provided me with a fresh outlook on my work and I continue to extend this research.

“Arrival” is one of the pieces that developed out of my residency in Denmark. and is part of my Migration Series. As the daughter of migrants, I am keen to explore notions of identity and travel associated with migration.

Inspired by my research into boats in Denmark, and the hull of Barca Nostra at the 2019 Venice Biennale, my work evokes the bitter-sweet narratives of migration.

The hand-sewn sacks and crudely stitched seams on the boat are metaphors for fragility, the act of mending clothes and patching together our lives. “Arrival” depicts the ending of a difficult and uncertain journey, where the migrants are absent, possibly having moved on.

This work is both a celebration of migration as a new beginning and a personal protest against the way most developed countries approach migration.

Belongings

Bronze 17 x 22 x 9 cm

Belongings

Bronze 17 x 22 x 9 cm

Provisions

Bronze 9 x 20 x 16 cm

Sacks Bronze 7 x 13 x 13 cm

Bronze 24 x 41 x 11cm

This project is my response to the COVID19 Stage 4 lockdown in Melbourne, originally announced for 42 days from 2 August to 13 September 2020.

Melbournians were limited to travel within a 5km radius, and only allowed to leave home for four reasons, 1 hour of exercise per day. A curfew between 8pm to 5 am – 8 pm was also imposed. This self-directed project focused my time and energy and helped me to remain productive during the lockdown.

I made a boat for each day of the Stage 4 lockdown. Once the boats were fired and glazed, I photographed the boats in different environments as installations. Once the Stage 4 lockdown was lifted I was also able to photograph the boats outside the 5km radius from my home.

Each boat’s surface shows stitched seams. The crudely stitched seams on the boat are metaphors for fragility, the act of mending and patching together our lives.

Australians are still unable to travel overseas for other than exceptional purposes, but there is still a limited parcel post. I cannot leave Australia but my boats can. I contacted a number of artists and asked if they would be interested in photographing one of my ceramic boats and posting the photos on Instagram to give the boats a bit of a log of their journey. The response was overwhelming.

On 1 February 2021, 6 boats were sent on their way, two to the United States, three to Europe and one to Western Australia. June 2021 a further two boats were sent overseas one United Kingdom and one to the United States. Boats that were made in an extreme lockdown when we could not move more than 5km are now travelling the world.

Four exhibitions were confirmed to showcase this project in 2022.

Various Space Gallery, Foster Ladder Art Space, Kew

The Hive Gallery, Ocean Grove

Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, Melbourne