Murray Bridge Regional Gallery

1 September - 15 October 2017

Gray Street workshop Gallery artists Lesa Farrant, Claire Brooks and Jo Wilmot re-exhibited existing work and expanded their investigations to evolve new work for the second iteration of Solastalgia. The exhibition also undertook a necessary realignment at this location to honour our First Nation Peoples for whom environmental losses have had the profoundest effect. Two collaborative works with indigenous artist Njiree Paroolitilpa including a performance piece entitled The Gateway filmed at the water's edge near Camp Coorong, and The Necklace, were vital additions. The contribution recognises the on-going relevance of Indigenous Stories that hold essential knowledge about living in harmony with the cycles of nature and her beings.

Contributing Artists

Embracing the interactive nature of string story telling, the beaded Mother of Pearl figure by Njiree Paroolitilpa and Jo Wilmot wove the vital message about our connectedness to the living beings that are the oceans, rivers and lakes, with the indigenous connection to country and family, past, present and future. The restringing of the vintage beads took place as Njiree shared family history, dreaming stories and poems about ancestors and the spirit of the water. Like the protective layering of nacre and lustre that creates a pearl, story, friendship and connections grew around the bead project to honour the shared hope for an adaptive and positive future.

Using found sticks, shells and plastic detritus, Lesa Farrant presented another finely assembled littoral line up of the local and introduced plant specimens that share the fragile sand dunes and cliff tops at Willunga beach. Claire Brooks added an exquisite collection of jewellery pieces to accompany the larger sculptural works and Jo Wilmot exhibited Ripple Effect, a porcelain neck piece using animation and 3D print software in the design process.

The Necklace embodying connectedness, and the darker story of loss in Dead man’s fingers bookending the gallery space, illustrated the profound need for a shift in consciousness; one built on joyous, loving hearts and respect for mother earth.

“Isn't it the moment of most profound doubt that gives birth to new certainties? Perhaps hopelessness is the very soil that nourishes human hope; perhaps one could never find sense in life without first experiencing its absurdity.”  

Vaclav Havel