Tracing Australia

Tracing Australia is the focus of my current body of work. Last year I spent 6 months on the road travelling to Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and then home to Queensland. Previous road trips have been to Tasmania, Far North Queensland, South Australia , NSW and Victoria.

I ask myself what is Australia? Is it place or is it culture? Is it the same wherever you are on this continent?

Is being ‘Australian’ a universal idea? Is it a birthright, dependant on location, financial status, ethnicity?

Is it equal for all?

What comes with the label- being Australian, are there obligations and if so to what or whom?

How is it different from other Nation states, what is meant by ‘Australian values’ or ‘the Australian way of life’.

I am a landscape artist. What does the landscape tell me, what stories and memories can it hold and how can those stories shape our tomorrows.