Exhibition floor talk | Burrow (Collapse)
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Output Type
Other
Publication Title
Exhibition floor talk | Burrow (Collapse)
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Place of Publication
Perth
School
School of Arts and Humanities; ECU Galleries
Description
Exhibition Statement | 'Burrow (Collapse)' explores bee species and habitat through a variety of works in different mediums. Developing from an interest in the non-human, clay and the natural world, the work examines introduced and indigenous bee species in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Australia. Both have introduced honey bees and indigenous burrowing variants. There are 1,700 native bee or Djilyaro species in Australia, with about 800 of these in WA and 27 endemic species, Ngaro Huruhuru, in Aotearoa.
These pieces develop on earlier works created for the exhibition Pieces, Spaces, Species, at the
Blue Oyster Art Project space in 2023 with artists Lucy Hill and Yana Nafysa Dombrowsky-
M’Baye. This show looked at Georges Perec’s text “Species of Space and Other Pieces” (1974) through the lens of different ways of working with clay. The ceramic works and sculpture created onwards of this exhibition are informed by jewellery, ornamentation and sconces; looking to explore real and imagined ideas of the wild and organic forms and habitat, in hand with examining our understandings of value in relation to the natural world.
Creating clay burrows, hives and temporary dwellings, these nests face challenges within
urbanisation and changing landscapes. The temporality of these constructions and necessity of
their existence is addressed in various social projects, in Tāmaki Makarau, where the artist
resides, this takes the form of For the Love of Bees, an initiative created to support pollination,
bee populations and endemic species in Aotearoa. For individuals this can look like pesticide free garden areas and clay banks retained in outdoor spaces, alongside pollination-specific planting. Bee hotels and other constructions offer nests in urbanised environments and can be replicated at a domestic scale.
Artist Biography | Taarn Scott is an artist from Aotearoa, New Zealand. Their practice is multidisciplinary, exploring ceramic sculpture, the environment and ornamentation. They are currently researching non-human habitats, insects and making hanging candles. They often collaborate on projects with Hana Pera Aoake, most recently exhibiting in Folded Memory together at Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery in 2023, with a Nelson Clay week exhibition coming up in 2024.
Additional Information
Taarn Scott | Burrow (Collapse)
Exhibition dates | 26 April to 29 May 2024
Floor talk | Wednesday 8 May 12:30pm–1:30pm