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Artist Statement
Medium: Mixed media
(Military maps, Indian ink and synthetic polymer paint on canvas)
Toponymy, geomorphology and the latent consequences of rising sea levels throughout Queensland are the current areas of investigation for my latest body of work; this series focuses specifically on the river systems, flood plains and the built environment.
Military topographical maps (circa 1935-41) combined with basic cartographic symbology reveal a multilayered landscape, dual histories, dual identities and the cultural legacy of colonialism.
New watermarks redefine coastal areas according to geophysical maps illustrating the effects of a sea level rise of 5 metres; such cartography can be seen as central to future sustainability and highlights our fragile sense of place and identity in the land of fire & flood.
Toponomy and place names are an important aspect of culture and identity as they provide a location where history, events, landscapes and people are remembered, celebrated and continued.
These works seek to challenge the construct of time, place and fabric of our society that was formulated with the arrival of European settlers and convicts. Military maps echoing the myth of terra nullius depicting the land devoid from Aboriginal occupation now appropriated with significant names & places to local indigenous groups. The result manifests a visual dual history and a quest to decolonise our surrounding landscapes.
