The insects collaboration - a collection of collages of insect eaten papers mixed with nature and man-made items
Close up detail of Eaten Structures collage
I made this work in memory of the Wonthaggi community who learnt sign for me when I first moved into the town after returning to Victoria end of 2017 after 18 years in Adelaide. The houses and shops represent the community that have supported me as the only Deaf member of the Wonthaggi.
I have, over the last six months since November 2019, been collaborating with the insects in Wonthaggi on the land I reside on that is not yet ceded to the First Nations. Every few weeks I place new sheets of watercolour paper in varied spots, under plants and under items outside for the insects to nibble on. It takes them roughly three weeks to make a beautiful effect on the paper, some holes, some tattering and some marks on the papers. The weather elements join into the collaboration through rain, hail and varying temperatures. The dirt adds its bit too, however, when the papers are ready to be collected, I brush some of the dirt off as a way of cleaning the papers and preserving the insect's work.
I then set to work on my part of the collaboration to create a set of landscapes and structural bodies and using my own materials, some manmade and some natural, even some of my hair and horsehair to complete the pieces. Some of the papers, I use my sewing skills to embroider trails and lines, and other parts I use mark making techniques with pencil, flame match ash and fabrics.
My work with the insects' papers is ongoing as I develop the research and ideas of environmental changes, nature and places, especially with the COVID-19 lockdowns and climate changes. I inform of these through my landscape-inspired collages. My archive collection of insect eaten papers will continue to build up and new spots found which will give different effects of insect-eaten papers.
I have, over the last six months since November 2019, been collaborating with the insects in Wonthaggi on the land I reside on that is not yet ceded to the First Nations. Every few weeks I place new sheets of watercolour paper in varied spots, under plants and under items outside for the insects to nibble on. It takes them roughly three weeks to make a beautiful effect on the paper, some holes, some tattering and some marks on the papers. The weather elements join into the collaboration through rain, hail and varying temperatures. The dirt adds its bit too, however, when the papers are ready to be collected, I brush some of the dirt off as a way of cleaning the papers and preserving the insect's work.
I then set to work on my part of the collaboration to create a set of landscapes and structural bodies and using my own materials, some manmade and some natural, even some of my hair and horsehair to complete the pieces. Some of the papers, I use my sewing skills to embroider trails and lines, and other parts I use mark making techniques with pencil, flame match ash and fabrics.
My work with the insects' papers is ongoing as I develop the research and ideas of environmental changes, nature and places, especially with the COVID-19 lockdowns and climate changes. I inform of these through my landscape-inspired collages. My archive collection of insect eaten papers will continue to build up and new spots found which will give different effects of insect-eaten papers.
