CULTIVATE, Media Release, 24 October 2024
Launching Sat 2nd Nov (until 19th Nov), an art exhibition made from horse poo and priority weeds of the Riverina by local emerging artist Emily Shannon at the Station Creative Workspace.
CULTIVATE is an innovative and experimental depiction of some of the most vulnerable plants from the Box Gum Grassy Woodland (BGGW) ecological community. Due to agricultural clearing, there is now less than 3 per cent of pre-settlement BGGW remaining. Each of the selected understory species were once plentiful in the Riverina but now face a high risk of extinction in the wild due to factors such as competition from invasive weeds, nutrient deposits from fertilisers and animal grazing.
Wagga Wagga artist Emily Shannon has worked to uncover and invent processes that transform priority weeds of Riverina Travelling Stock Routes (TSRs) into pigments, and embrace the creative potential of agricultural waste (including livestock excrement). Scientific processes have been tediously trialled and applied to make papers, lake pigments and starch paste, as well as modify pigment colour through mordants derived from rusted farm machinery, acidic rainwater and alkaline burn off ash. At times, trialling these alternate ‘slow art’ processes have rendered displeasing results. Emily reflects that “unpicking these learnings drive my research forwards, honouring these moments is a vital part of my art practice.”
Emily has recently been selected as one of 3 artists to develop work in a 4 week artist residency with Wagga Wagga Art Gallery in the 2025 Regional Artist Development program. She is also currently completing a 9 panel external community mural collaborating with youth in West Wyalong. Earlier this year Emily was also selected to have work in the permanent collection at Eastern Riverina Arts and take part in the C Word group exhibition at the Station. She moved from Melbourne at the start of 2023 and has been amazed at the opportunities in the area for regional artists. She is self taught, originally studied physiotherapy and currently also works part time as a primary teacher.
This project is supported by the Country Arts Support Program, administered by Eastern Riverina Arts on behalf of the NSW Government and the Wagga Wagga City Council Annual Grants Program.
As part of the exhibition Emily Shannon will be running free kid’s workshops involving paper making and screen printing at Tarcutta and Uranquinty on the 7th and 8th of December. Booking details are on her website.
CULTIVATE Work in progress
Meet the artist and hear her speak about the work:
- Date: Thurs 7 November 2024
- Time: 5:30-7:30pm
- Location: The Station Creative Workspace, 54-58 Johnston St Wagga
- More info & RSVP: https://www.easternriverinaarts.org.au/events/work-in-progress-emily-shannon-virgina-anderson.
CULTIVATE Exhibition open
- Date: Sat 10am – 4pm and Sundays 10am – 2pm from Sat 2nd Nov until Sun 17th Nov
- Location: The Station Creative Workspace, 54-58 Johnston St Wagga
Further information about the artist
