Artist:
Megan-Jane Johnstone
Our contemporary world has become shaped and defined by extreme climatic events, including prolonged periods of extreme heat causing severe drought and related bushfires – all of which are increasingly unprecedented in scale and duration. The organic images depicted in this work have been inspired by the resilience of the Australian eucalyptus forests that recover after seemingly being devastated by bushfires. The ‘moonscapes’ and charred remains that are left in the wake of a bushfire are confronting. Yet, although some forests may never fully recover, others do. Due to their adaptive ecosystems, many resilient eucalyptus forests regenerate in time. The first signs that eucalypts have survived a bushfire include the re-sprouting and regeneration of their branches, followed by the natural growth of ‘eucalyptus nurseries’ characterised by swathes of spindly young eucalyptus saplings popping up seemingly overnight. Although bushfires are terrifying, they stand as a potent reminder of the impermanency of things and the need for all of us to be responsible stewards of the land and the precious life forms (including our forests and native flora) that it sustains.
Other Works by Megan-Jane Johnstone
Acknowledgment of traditional owners.
We would like to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our building stands, their leaders, past, present and emerging.