What can I say without touching the earth with my hands?

This body of work looks at the way that people interact with and shape the Places they live, and are in turn shaped by them. Initiated by an artist residency in 2024 through Art on the Move and the Shire of Shark Bay, it has been informed by many conversations with people who live and work in Gathaagudu/Shark Bay, on Malgana Country. We thank all the individuals and organisations who have welcomed us into and onto their Country, workplaces, homes, and lives.

As artists we are interested in the regenerative capacities of this kind of work, reminding us of our own responsibilities to where we each reside, and gesturing to a better way of living reciprocally within the world. We believe that art can bridge ideas, departments, and people, reminding us that how we live, what we value, and how we act, are all choices that we make and remake every day.

This work is currently on show at the Rose De Freycinet Gallery as part of the Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitors Centre in Denham, WA.

This project has been made across Malgana and Whadjuk Noongar Country. Always was, Always will be. It has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, the Regional Exhibition Touring Boost with funding managed by Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport and delivered by ART ON THE MOVE, and supported by Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts’ Studio Program, Joes Printing, and Hillvale Photo.

This work has been made with access and support from the Malgana Rangers, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), the Shire of Shark Bay, Bush Heritage Australia, Gathaagadu Animal Tracking and SequeiraLab, Shark Bay Fish Factory, Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Cultural Adventures, Perfect Nature Cruises, Oxford University Herbaria, Department of Biology, and members of the Shark Bay community.

We would like to thank the many individuals who have given us their time, trust, expertise, and goodwill in the making of this work, including: Kristen Brownfield, Kathryn McKay, Gavan Mullum (DBCA), Denise Mitchell, Cameron Perrett, Cody Oakley (DBCA), Laetitia Wear-Jones (DBCA), Johnny Prefumo (DBCA), Abby Leyendekkers, Sarah Gilleland, Alana Eru, Gaven Poland, Glen Hoult, Bobby Hoult, Greg and Liam Ridgley, Jerzy Lipinski (DBCA), Sofie Seyah, Jay Hayes (DBCA), Darren Capeswell, Ben Bellottie, Dale Chapman, Anthony Desmond (DBCA), Aiyana Wright, Miranda Johnson, Lizard, Joe Landro, Hannah Calich, Ana Sequeira, Tim Doyle, Alanna Kusin, and Serena Marner.

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