Old Growth
“Old Growth” is the name both of a series of works, and their presentation as a series of multi-screen video installations.
In total it is a work of environmental critique and material enquiry. Marrying art and science it creatively explores the effects of resource extraction and anthropogenic climate change. It takes three vital environments that accrete over time – sedimentary rock, old growth rainforest and coral reef – and subjects images of these environments on photographic film to chemical degradation.
The result is a kind of material metaphor or media analogue for humanity’s effects on the environment – thus the separate films in the series explore virtual fracking, virtual deforestation, and virtual coral bleaching.
As a series of separate video works, the project’s component films have screened in festivals and galleries internationally. In multi-channel form, the project has been presented in two different configurations: on the giant 16-screen video wall at the Southern Cross University learning centre on Lismore Campus, and as a 3-screen installation at the Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival in Hawick, Scotland.
SCREENINGS
“Frack”, “Deforest” and “Bleach” have been shown at a wide range of festivals and galleries, including:
Rencontres Internationales Sciences & Cinémas (RISC), Marseilles
Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival, Hawick, Scotland
Imagine Science Film Festival, New York
“Inner Nature,” Institute Valencia d’art Modern, Valencia
Syros International Film Festival, Greece
VIDEOFORMES video and digital art festival; Clermont-Ferrand
Sunshine Coast Art Award, New Media Prize
Brenda May Gallery, Sydney
Screengrab Media Arts Award, Pinnacles Gallery, Townsville QLD
“Particle + Wave” Media Arts Festival, Calgary
KLEX Kuala Lumpur Experimental Film, Video & Music Festival
Montreal Underground Film Festival