The Cannery Art Centre in Esperance is currently hosting international, Finnish-born, artist Tea Mäkipää. Her residency in Esperance forms part of Spaced 2 future recallll, an international arts residency program by IASKA. I was fortunate to catch up with Mäkipää several times over the last few weeks and had some interesting conversations with her, and I experienced first hand her affinity for all creatures great and small!
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Tea Mäkipää (photo Monika Thomas, 2013) |
A few days ago we enjoyed a trip to a local farm in Gibson. After a guided tour (including a visit to the chook-yard!) we were treated to a beautiful lunch by Monika and Mick Liebeck and their children Oskar and Britney. Then we were allowed a ride on the "header". It was an experience to see the sheer scale and efficiency of modern farming.
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| Photo: Monika Thomas, 2013 |
The other day Tea mentioned an idea for a public artwork which I hope will go ahead - hence this blogpost is not only about introducing the artist (in case you have not heard about her residency in Esperance) but also about seeking your support so this project can be materialised.
Whilst the larger part of the project will come to fruition in 2015, her vision for the Esperance community includes a public artwork which will attract international attention to Esperance as a tourist destination. The proposed work titled BUSINESS HOTSPOT will be an intervention in the "wilderness" (ideally the setting will be in Cape LeGrand National Park).
The artist's quirky installation concept is based on the notion that native animals play no active role on financial markets, they do not appear on spreadsheets and seem to have no direct economic value to us. This makes them the voiceless stakeholders of their natural habitats - always at the mercy of human unpredictability. Yet, the most efficient and busiest exchange of materials and energy happens in nature between living organisms. It is a complex, self-balancing system", Mäkepää explains.
BUSINESS HOTSPOT will highlight the value of Australia's unique wildlife per se and draws attention to the natural bushlands, such as Cape Le Grand National Park, as precious habitat for local fauna and flora. Mäkipää asserts that native animals deserve to be noted as one of Australia's most valuable assets because they help keep those "business hotspots" alive.
Mäkipää often uses irony as a vehicle to get her message across. However, she clearly points at the need for humans to develop a more cooperative relationship with nature! At the same time she also empathises with rural communities who suffer economically and socially due to insufficient access to communication services which puts them into a „chasing position“ or in danger of being left behind by an increasingly fast and furious global society.
For this project to go ahead Mäkipää needs an additional 2000.00 dollars approximately, of which $ 800.00 have already been secured via private sponsorship. Any amounts donated by an individual or organization/business is appreciated and will help MAKE IT HAPPEN! If you can help please pop in at the Cannery Art Centre in Norseman Road, phone Karen McClurkin on 08 90713599 or email her Karen@canneryartscentre.com.au.
If you would like to follow Tea Mäkipää's offical project updates visit spaced 2 future recall website http://www.spaced.org.au/posts/projects/tea-makipaa/
Monika Thomas
