Graham Badari, ‘Kardabaibai (Darter) catching Manmakkawarri (Catfish) at the Kulabbarl (Billabong), Kurraguyangguyang (Jacana) on Mandem (Lilypads)’, 2018
ochre on Arches paper (framed), 41 x 61 cm. Photo: Copyright The Artist.
Exhibited courtesy of Injalak Arts and Everywhen Artspace
BIRD
Birds are the easiest wild animals to see. They are beautiful. We often look to them to represent our dreams of flight and freedom. They carry the weight of our longing effortlessly, and grace our skies and days with their songs and elegance.
Birds are also bio-indicators, meaning that their decline flags the general degradation of the environment. Birds are the literal ‘canaries in the coalmine’. Currently one in six Australian birds is already threatened (and more than one in eight worldwide) and this number is predicted to rise as the anthropogenic climate crisis worsens.
Humans evolved with birds and our health, wellbeing and ultimate survival is profoundly tied to theirs. Research shows that even just hearing birds improves human mental health. Protecting birds and their specific habitats is as urgent and vital for us as it obviously is for them.
BIRD is a celebration of all birdlife. We invite you to enjoy the richness these feathered denizens of the air manifest, while planning ways to urgently protect them from Climate Emergency impacts.
Artists
Graham Badari, Alexis Beckett, The Bowerbird Collective, Beth Croce, Kate Gorringe-Smith, Heather Hesterman, Eugenia Lim, Lucille Martin, Jenny McCracken, Rachel Mounsey, Perdita Phillips, David Stewart, Mervyn Street, Dominic White, the Artists of the Wall of Wings. Creative Producer, Kate Gorringe-Smith.
Exhibition details:
Where: CLIMARTE Gallery, 120 Bridge Rd, Richmond
When: 8 February – 11 March 2023
Opening: 8 February at 6pm with Sean Dooley, BirdLife Australia’s National Public Affairs Manager and author of Bird Count.
Artist Talks with Public Discussions:
11 February, 2 – 4pm with BIRD’s Creative Producer and artist Kate Gorringe-Smith and participating artists Rachel Mousey and Lucille Martin. See more details here.
4 March, 2 – 4pm with Kate Gorringe-Smith, Alexis Beckett and Dominic White. See more details here.
BIRD is honoured to be included in the National Sustainable Living Festival 2023 program.
Image: Kate Goring-Smith ‘Eastern Curlew, Westernport Icon: I am my habitat’, 2021
Linocut on ecoprint; presented on 18 sheets of paper, tabbed and numbered, c. 300 x 250 cm. Photo by Andrej Kocis
Photographs of BIRD’s Opening Event by Julian Meehan
