The Palimpsest of a Place

The exhibited works are part of the ‘Talking place’ project (started in 2018 in cooperation with Sarah Robinson, Jane Whelean and Annette Nykiel), whose goal is the artistic exploration of the natural environment of Lake Walyungup in Western Australia. This seemingly forgotten, empty space in the midst of a growing urban community offers shelter to wildlife, including numerous protected species of the fauna and flora. The area is unique by virtue of its geomorphic forms: stromatolites, created as by the accumulation of calcium as a result of the respiratory processes of cyanobacteria, providing evidence for the changing of the sea level in the last 7,000 years. The stromatolites are also rich in important symbolism in the beliefs of indigenous Australians. The local Noongar people (inhabiting the southern areas of Western Australia) believe that the stromatolites on Lake Walyngup symbolise the egg laid by the Rainbow Snake, a major figure in their beliefs. Therefore, they regard the place with deep respect, protecting it from destruction and water pollution as each such interference may disturb its exceptional harmony.