Walking through the rugged bush trails of Kenthurst, I began collecting banksia pods over a number of years. Each plant shaped in a strange and unpredictable form, the tiny pods I affiliated with a small, hidden sanctuary. I began recording their individual shapes through drawing and painting, exploring their qualities most recently in sculpture.
I am drawn to the way the banksia symbolises the resilience of the Australian landscape, regenerating after the most destructive bushfires. Similarly, the ceramic vessel begins as a weak clay body, fired to extreme temperatures in order to become strong and durable. Depicting the Australian landscape, I am concerned with themes of post colonialism and the uncanny nature of place. The banksia is both familiar and iconic, yet it holds a darker, colonial history.
Courtesy of Artsite Galleries
pigment on stoneware, crackle goldene detailing
19 x 12 cm
Finalist
Judges of the 20th Anniversary Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize: Dr Lara Strongman (Director Curatorial and Digital, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia), Joanna Capon OAM (Art Historian, Curator and Industrial Archaeologist) and Jenny Kee AO (Artist and Fashion Designer).
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