Time Place
The exhibition Time Place, a major component of this PhD inquiry exploring how mapping human-water relationships teaches us how legacies manifest as a mode of rationality from an individual perspective. Set in Australia, the research focuses on ephemeral creek systems on Wilyakali and Barkindji Country in Far West NSW, where cycles of drought and flood shape both ecological and cultural dynamics. Central to the study is the role of River Red Gums in these systems. The research employs a mixed-method approach, incorporating walking, drawing, and fire-making, grounded in Karen Lillian Martin’s (2008) Relatedness theory, to critically engage with the landscape. Mapping is treated as an active, process-driven method that uncovers the interplay between spatial legacies, ecological systems, and cultural understandings. Drawing on methodologies from art and architecture, the research critiques the boundaries, both physical and conceptual, that shape human-water relationships in ephemeral systems.
In the context of climate change and increasingly extreme water conditions, this research emphasizes that addressing water crises requires not only a biocentric perspective but also a critical understanding of hydro-socio conditions, which equally threaten water systems' health. This research demonstrates how creative practices can produce knowledge that bridges disciplines, opening new pathways for reconceptualizing space and place. It fosters awareness of how spatial legacies shape both individual and collective rationality. Building on the material agency in charcoal Kevin O’Brien’s Finding Country (2006) and the embodied practice of walking in Antonia Aitkin’s (2018), the research deepens understanding that can shift perspectives and reshape conceptualizations of space. Through this approach, the research highlights the transformative potential of creative methodologies to challenge entrenched spatial legacies and propose new frameworks for understanding and engaging with water systems and landscapes.
Time Place was exhibited at the Broken Hill City Gallery (formerly the Broken Hill Regional Gallery) from May 5 to June 16, 2023. The exhibition was widely publicised through digital, social media and physical media, with over 200 attendees on opening night, then averaging 80 per day for 6 weeks. The exhibition was recognised and publicised through an interview with ABC Broken Hill radio morning show on May the 4th 2023. The exhibition received critical recognition within the field, from beknown artist Blake Griffiths, through a published review in The Barrier Truth newspaper.
