Background
This large scale ephemeral art work, the 'Under Story' was created for the Surfcoast Arts trail 2020 within the grounds of the Drolkar Buddhist centre.
The intention being to inspire Arts Trail visitors in this form of art and to attend the Natural Connections weekend workshop to experiment with creating their own ephemeral artworks. As we watched the developments here and around the world of the Covid 19 pandemic it became clear that the planned Arts Trail would not be taking place under the restrictions in place. However thanks to the Regional Arts Victoria 'Sustaining Creative Workers Fund' this project was able to go ahead and to be documented by videographer Rebecca Hosking. Watch the video
The intention being to inspire Arts Trail visitors in this form of art and to attend the Natural Connections weekend workshop to experiment with creating their own ephemeral artworks. As we watched the developments here and around the world of the Covid 19 pandemic it became clear that the planned Arts Trail would not be taking place under the restrictions in place. However thanks to the Regional Arts Victoria 'Sustaining Creative Workers Fund' this project was able to go ahead and to be documented by videographer Rebecca Hosking. Watch the video
Concept
Spending time nature, especially amongst trees provides us with an opportunity to slow down and reflect. Wandering around the DrolKar gardens, which is blessed with numerous trees, I came across a natural circle of grass surrounded by trees. Thinking about these trees as living entities, I found myself reflecting on the calming capacity of these trees and whether they could in some way could commuicate and nurture each other too. Could the roots of the trees be the answer? Mostly we can only imagine what happens between tree roots underground, although scientific research has lead to theories of trees communicating through subterranean networks of fungi ref: ecologist Suzanne Simmard 'How do trees collaborate'? If soil was clear, like glass we could perhaps see these interactions happening.
The Understory is a way of attempting to describe what happens underground by way of 'drawing' on the ground using materials shed by the trees, eucalyptus bark around the eucalypts, sheaok flowers and needles around the sheoaks and wattle flowers. The imagination stretches to the different tree species blending and enhancing the natural form of the circle.
The Understory is a way of attempting to describe what happens underground by way of 'drawing' on the ground using materials shed by the trees, eucalyptus bark around the eucalypts, sheaok flowers and needles around the sheoaks and wattle flowers. The imagination stretches to the different tree species blending and enhancing the natural form of the circle.
This project could not have been achieved without the assistance of a fabulous team of volunteers who contributed hours of time raking, collecting and sorting materials.
Thankyou Emma Mitchell, Colleen Miller, Alanna Riccardo Ros Hill and Linda Diggins
Thankyou Emma Mitchell, Colleen Miller, Alanna Riccardo Ros Hill and Linda Diggins
