CHRISTINE UPTON, The Outsider, 2021, footprinted elimination block with some hand colouring on Awagami bamboo 110gsm
Paper size : 56 cm x 76 cm | Image size: 39 cm x 58.5 cm
I spend a day a week observing and photographing the similarities between the behaviour of birds, in our forests and woodlands, and that of humans in my small community. I live in Corowa which is situated on the NSW bank of the Murray River. More of our community lives in Wahgunyah on the Vic bank of the same river. Our community relies heavily on tourism to survive.
Of course the border runs between us and since the abolition of interstate taxes the border has been completely insignificant in our everyday lives. We were one community. However, during Covid NSW and Victoria had different travel regulations and our community became divided and suspicious of outsiders, especially tourists. In this piece I tried to capture this suspicion that was often seen in our small town of those who were visiting during Covid.
The bee eaters in our wetlands are frequently seen behaving this way towards those that are not part of their 'flock'.
// Australia //
Image courtesy of the artist