Staying with the Trouble
Donna J. Haraway's book 'Staying with the Trouble' offers us proactive new ways to rethink and rework our relationships with other species on our planet. Her thinking intends us to build more liveable futures as part of the planet and with its other species rather than our usual human way of placing ourselves above other life. This series of work began through a conversation with three respected creative peers and good friends, (Linda Denning, Kim Mahood and Sally Simpson) who have all read and responded to Haraway's ideas through practice. What began as reflection and analysis of common themes around living on the land through Haraway's lens, evolved into considering our drawing practice of also 'staying with the trouble', where we encountered the problems of pushing work too far, loosing it, staying with it, abandoning it and eventually recovering the work. We have met regularly to discuss and critique what each of us is aspiring to achieve. The starting point was to each be open to professional critical conversations about our work in order to extend concepts, convictions, methods and materials. Our aim was to get out of our creative comfort zones. Being challenged by each others approaches to work, opinions and experimentation has extended our ways of making and thinking, both collectively and individually. Our ideas of land, our place, conservation and cohabitation with other species has developed through the consideration of Donna J. Haraway's writing and our collective and enduring experience and interest in the environment and its ecotones on a macro and micro level. Exhibited at Belconnen Arts Centre 31 March to 14 May
Pathway - gravel and fences, 2023,
soot, pokerwork, pastel, collage on Arches 640gsm paper, H 152 X W 101 cm |
Early Morning - fresh growth, 2023,
soot, pokerwork, pastel, collage on Arches 640gsm paper, H 152 X W 101 cm |
In Time - gathering moss, 2023,
soot, pokerwork, pastel, collage on Arches 640gsm paper, H 152 X W 101 cm |
Canola Paddock, 2023
soot, pokerwork, collage, acrylic paint, pastel on Hahnemuhle 350 gsm on birch panels, 12 panels, each panel H 30 X W 45 cm |
Tender Shoots-at last, 2022
soot, pokerwork, acrylic, Conte, charcoal on 640 gsm Lana paper, H 152 X 104 cm |