2014 | @home series

Vision

Installed along the Somme Creek, Bridgetown:

Jarrah (Swan River Mahogany) along with many other varieties of hard wood trees once grew in forests throughout South Western Australia. Bridgetown currently sees a large variety of these hard wood trees including Jarrah, Marri and Blackbutt growing in many of its listed reserves and community areas. Historically the Bridgetown area not only supported a timber milling industry but was also the railhead for both the extensive railway sleeper industry and also the Jarrah street block trade (blocks which paved many major city streets worldwide). Alas our hard wood timbers have been used arbitrarily or wasted, leading to a scarcity of fine grade and construction timbers. Beside the issues regarding the scarcity of timber, the wider concerns of land clearing, diminished species, habitat fragmentation, global warming etc all inspire this sculptural vision.

My vision for and as an honouring the natural environment of Bridgetown is inspired by the forests which surrounded and still remain in remnant pockets in this area. However, my ideal for the Schapper Bequest cannot separate the economic and social record of Bridgetown from that of the natural environment; the two are intrinsically linked in a fundamental manner. I saw Marri, Blackbutt and Jarrah trees as well as homes. Thus @home series was conceived. It also acknowledges the human habitation of the area via the use of domestic objects.

Initial sketches for project:

Skeleton of a house containing the fruit. A house on stilts making an elegant 'seed' home: signifying the need to protect our precious natural environment. House to also signify domestic use of forest products.

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