Exhibition of eminent artists opens tomorrow at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Inveresk.
The Skullbone Experiment is an exhibition of works inspired by a residency at Skullbone Plains, curated by the acclaimed artist Philip Wolfhagen and curator Catherine Wolfhagen.
In February 2013, eleven high profile Australian artists were invited by the Tasmanian Land Conservancy to explore the Skullbone Plains, a wild and remote landscape. Over four days, they immersed themselves in the landscape and were given scientific interpretation by Tasmanian Land Conservancy staff to deepen their experience of the reserve.
Mr Wolfhagen, who has also created work for the exhibition, said, “It is important to explore the cultural significance of a place that is already known to be scientifically important. Each artist has ‘deposited’ another layer of meaning to this landscape thereby enriching future interpretations of the site.”
Participating artists include Tim Burns (TAS), Joel Crosswell (TAS), Julie Gough (TAS), Philip Hunter (VIC), Janet Laurence (NSW), Vera MÖller (VIC), Imants Tillers (NSW), Megan Walch (TAS), Richard Wastell (TAS), Philip Wolfhagen (TAS) and John Wolseley (VIC).
“It has been an absolute honour to have artists of such vision and calibre interpret our Skullbone Plains permanent reserve. Their engagement with this landscape has been a great way to raise awareness of the long-term protection of biodiversity in Tasmania” says Jane Hutchinson, Chief Executive Officer of the Tasmanian Land Conservancy.
“The exhibition features some of the very best contemporary Australian artists. We are delighted to showcase these important works which reflect the impressive and powerful landscape that is the Skullbone Plains reserve” says Richard Mulvaney, Director of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery.
In 2011 the Tasmanian Land Conservancy garnered philanthropic support of $23 million to purchase over 28,000 hectares in Tasmania, including Skullbone Plains. This was the largest private conservation deal in Australian history.
Skullbone Plains was recently included in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It covers 1,600 hectares and provides habitat for critically endangered species such as the Clarence galaxias fish and an endangered plant community named sphagnum moss. The endangered Tasmanian devil, spotted-tailed quoll and wedge-tailed eagle also call it home.
The project was made possible through the support of the Purves Environmental Fund and the Purryburry Trust.
The Skullbone Experiment will exhibit at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery Inveresk, opening on Saturday, 15 March and running through to 18 May 2014.
The exhibition will also be shown at Galleries UNSW in Sydney from 18 July – 30 August 2014.
Tasmanian Land Conservancy
The TLC is a not for profit, non-government, registered environmental organisation which raises funds from the public to protect irreplaceable sites and rare ecosystems by buying and managing private land in Tasmania.
www.tasland.org.au
Stephenie Cahalan
