Atmosphere of Place

A T M O S P H E R E O F P L A C E

As part of the research and as a spatial experiment to probe the atmosphere of the site, the time spent on, with and within Country, allowed for the development of an intimate relationships; grounded in slowness and procession. Processioning across and within Munna Reserve, I experienced sensory engagement with space. This meandering was a continuation of the sensory mapping of the site, alone and with members of the community. Haptic experiences of tree structures stability and strengthening forms, vistas, textures within reach and earth underfoot, thresholds and passages creating moments of curiosity and awe, aural experiences of movement of the unseen: water, fauna and industry; a reminder of locality and coexistence and dappled sunlight providing warmth in shaded space and created markers of place in the landscape through light and shadow.

FRAGMENT 10 S T I L L N E S S + S I T T I N G

Opportunities of stillness and procession in and through space, created sentience in prospect and refuge of new paths or directions. Moments of visual, aural and tactile experiences were collected, recorded, archived and stored in a slow space of possibility. Each moment, converging to create an Atmosphere of Place; opportunities for refuge and prospect, knowledge and nourishment. Over the course of 4 months, through various mediums such as, charcoal, ink, graphite, photography and videography, moments were represented to establish and identify the fragmented stages of thinking, feeling and reflecting throughout the project.

Relationship between all matter, human and non human, is essential to the Songlines of Aboriginal culture. Country, welcomes us without permissioning to be with and within place and Aboriginal Songlines, of cultural response and oral narrative, speak through these relationships of knowledge.

Knowledge to nourish. Knowledge to learn respect. Knowledge to heal.

Focusing on the subtle relationships within nature, I studied interaction between, in and around environments at a meso and micro scale, to better understand the interconnectedness of Munna Reserve. The story of Country and relationship Aboriginal peoples have to the land, sky and sea/ water, was integral to the development of these graphite sketches. The emphasis of the physical connection to the sky and the ground, evoked initial thinking of binary oppositions and what could be studied at both extremes, ensuring the ‘in between’ was just as essential to songlines and culture. Sky, earth, trees, grasses, water, flora, fauna, are gifts and knowledge of their care is spoken through stories past and present.

All in County, has place and purpose.

Relationships between all are reciprocal; nurturing respect and experiences for all to flourish.