Art of Threatened Species Exhibition - 'Marooned'

A compelling, intimate, thematic installation by Anna Glynn

Mt Kaputar Snail and Slug Threatened Ecological Community explored in interdisciplinary collaboration of art & science
by Australian artist Anna Glynn & biologist Peter Dalmazzo

The Art of Threatened Species Exhibition explores threatened flora, fauna and the environments that sustain them in New South Wales, by enabling 10 artists and scientists to collaborate. Each artist travelled vast distances and spent 18 months researching and observing species and environments in a self-directed and mainly self-funded residency for the development of this public exhibition. They partnered with a scientist working within each specific field. The resulting works attempt to communicate the issues, politics and emotions that surround at-risk animals, plants and environments. This project is a collaboration between the artists, the Department of Planning Industry & Environment, Create NSW and Orana Arts, in recognition of the Saving Our Species program.

As a response to the Mt Kaputar Snail and Slug Threatened Ecological Community, Anna Glynn created 'Marooned', an installation, reinforcing current universal ecological discussions through the ephemeral qualities of moving image and diaphanous attributes of textile elements in the form of photomontage on chiffon: semitransparent, transient and, as nature is, delicate and fragile. She has hyper-coloured all the elements of the environment in this antipodean wonderland, using vibrant hues pulsating in pink and green in homage to the most notable creature, the astounding giant, pink slug which is the only element that Glynn has left in its natural colour. The moving image work travels across the landscape, a rapid time-lapse vignette superimposed over more intimate elements panning through the landscape, inundated moss and lichens, flowers, fauna, macro and micro. The vibrant pair of large-scale chiffon works display a reimagined landscape in which pink kangaroos adorned with flowers echo the hue of the slugs and a feral fox with floral eyes peruses this elevated kingdom.

‘Marooned’ premiered in September 2019 at MONA - The Museum of New Art in Estonia. The work was appreciated for its poignancy in addressing nature, ecology, history and environment, embracing art as a way to pursue meaningful conversations and exchanges. 'Marooned' is now on show with works by all the other Art of Threatened Species artists at the Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia, 9 November - 2 February 2020 then touring TBA

There were many people who encouraged and assisted in various ways to help us in this project: the fabulous teams of Alicia Leggett, Michelle Hall and Shelby Russo-Vooles at Orana Arts, National Parks in Narrabri including Adam Fawcett and Fiona Gray, Chris Dawe and Andy McQuie from DPIE, Megan Davies at Narrabri Rural Fire Brigade and Kent Buchanan for his excellent curation of the exhibition at Western Plains Cultural Centre.

'Marooned' installation
Art of Threatened Species Exhibition
Western Plains Cultural Centre

‘Marooned 1’ - detail of Fox with Flower Eyes
Photomontage on Chiffon

Australian Artist Anna Glynn and scientist Peter Dalmazzo
‘Marooned’ installation
Western Plains Cultural Centre
Photo by Shelby Russo-Vooles