Local Ipswich artist Donna Davis alongside other artists Keith Armstrong, Daniele Constance, Luke Lickfold and Andrea Higgins are combining art, culture and science to create a better understanding of Australian native grasses and how we see grass in new, more equitable and ecological ways.
This project known as the ‘Carbon Dating Project” will explore the interspecies relationships between human and grass. Carbon Dating is an experimental hybrid arts project that seeks to shift our relationship to Australia’s native grass and grasslands, which are under severe and often unacknowledged threat.
Stage One of the project is being conducted simultaneously with five regional communities (Gold Coast, Cairns, Somerset, Sunshine Coast and Miles).
At each site a team of local artist’s care for their own grassland garden, whilst responding to provocations designed to challenge their evolving relationship with the grass in their care.
Keith Armstrong, Project Lead, said, “by sponsoring the planting of small indigenous grassland areas and gardens, we seek to foster living sites for our art experiments; as we build a campaign built on partnership, respect and care.”
One of the sites for the Carbon Dating Project will be at the Condensery, Somerset Regional Art Gallery.
The Condensery, is located in Toogoolawah, in the beautiful Somerset region, an easy drive from Ipswich.
Jinibara artist Jason Murphy and emerging local artist Pipier Weller will care for the grassland garden planted at The Condensery and create a responsive artwork to feature in a planned touring exhibition in 2023/4.
A sculptural object, Interweaver, shown in The Condensery’s foyer will depict images of a grassland patch grown at Samford Ecological Research Station.
Stage two of the work will result in a series of gallery exhibitions at the hosting sites (2023-25) that reflect upon the processes and the art, science and culture of human-native grass relationships.
For more information: www.carbondating.art
