Art and nature go hand in hand, encouraging us to take the time to appreciate the small, beautiful things that are often missed in day-to-day life. The finest of the two is combined in the biennial Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, Australia’s most prestigious natural artwork competition. This year’s winners and highly commended works are on display at the National Archives of Australia until 13 November.
Coming to Canberra from its home at the South Australian Museum, the deep dive into the natural world celebrates the Museum’s first curator, Frederick George Waterhouse. The competition engages artists in environmental issues and natural science through a range of mediums. One thing that attendees will notice is that photography isn’t included in this competition, while multimedia has only been accepted in recent years.
This year’s entrants heavily focus on sculpture with a dash of multimedia, print, and paint. Illuminated signs next to each piece explain the key environmental concern of each creators. A stunning sculpture of three seabirds hangs from the ceiling, casting shadows on the wall; it’s not until you read the description that you realise they’ve been crafted from repurposed fishing line and soup spoons. Artist Alyson de Groot is concerned by recent studies that anticipate 99 per cent of seabirds will have ingested plastic waste by 2050 and the impacts of this on them.
Walking through the exhibition, the diverse beauty of our natural world is displayed in eye-catching forms. Water-based life seems to be a prominent feature and is displayed in ceramics, etched glass, striking oil paints, copper, and woven craft. From the corner, bird calls can be heard coming from the hanging nests created by Debbie Symons, who was inspired by her residency in Brazil. Rather than being made from plants found in the Amazon, they have been crafted with palm oil fronds, commenting on the clearing of tropical rainforests.
Glimpse into the future of what life may be like for displaced plants in the face of continuing impacts of climate change in TransPLANT [seeking refuge] by Donna Davis. The multimedia display captures CCTV footage as plants try to seek refuge amongst industrial settings in a fun and engaging commentary on a dark, looming issue, while the use of the gallery space enhances the sense that you are watching the videos from a security office.
Earning the prestigious title of winner and $30,000 was Kyoho Hashimoto and Guy Keuluemans with their work, Bioregional rings, a collection of natural materials from one natural bioregion. Sandstone, driftwood, and other natural materials have been encased in rings as a discussion point of the insensitivity of globalised supply chains.
Anne Hayes worked with the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra in finding the perfect specimen for her piece. She flew from Brisbane, grabbed a visitor’s jacket, and scouted the ideal Banksia seedpod with one of the rangers. They took care when removing the pod so that others around it wouldn’t be affected. Hayes had to advise the Gardens of her plans for the pod once she was finished; it now resides in her studio.
“When I am collecting a specimen, I look for the perfect colour and shape, it means I have to be particularly careful and take my time. When I find myself being inspired, I know I have found a gem and it’s going to make a wonderful drawing.”
Banksia Seritafolia is a large graphite drawing. The medium lent itself to the piece as it would be able to fully capture the intricate details of the pod in a way her usual watercolours couldn’t.
“I adore a challenge, that’s another reason I am drawn to very detailed subject matter, detail is king.”
Experience the art in nature in Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize at the National Archives of Australia until 13 November; naa.gov.au
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