October 28, 2009

During September and October of this year, small groups of students from The SFS Center for Rainforest Studies in Queensland, Australia spent a morning at Lake Eacham in an exercise introducing the role of art in exploring connection, communication, environmental issues, and understanding the world in non-scientific ways. The idea behind this exercise was to think about the role of creativity in communicating environmental issues, which led to a joint project between The School for Field Studies and Terrain NRM, a not-for-profit company which supports actions, facilitates funding, and integrates efforts in order to achieve sustainable communities and ecosystems in far north Queensland. On October 24th, the Center in partnership with Terrain presented a photo exhibit at the annual Yungeburra Folk Festival to present the Tablelands community with a fresh perspective on visiting viewpoints associated with the surrounding forests of Lake Eacham. "Connection to Place - Australia's Tropical Rainforest" exhibited 18 student photos from that morning at the Lake.

"Creative actions in the natural environment can be used to explore the ways we experience connection to the world or communicate complex ideas about the dangers facing our world and the impacts that our lives are having on the environment. Art can engage people through both heart and mind and use symbols that carry meanings that many understand, as seen in the works displayed - that of new growth from old...or a white flag of surrender. Students were asked to consider “connection” and to work in subtle ways with materials on site. They were encouraged to arrange the materials they found and to consider the role of technology, such as the camera, as both a barrier between us and the world and as a way of communicating to a wide audience. The students were asked to select one image per group and their own favourite image that best represented the idea of connection. We hope that in viewing a familiar place through someone else’s eyes, you may find something new and fresh in your own connection to this magnificent place that is the Wet Tropics Rainforest."

-Moni Carlisle, Center Director, The SFS Center for Rainforest Studies
-Rowena Grace, Biodiversity Program Leader, Terrain NRM

Ladder of Hearts
A group selection by Jeffery Hubley, Margaret Hodgkiss-Lilly, Alyssa Epstein, Christine Miller and Phil LaTourette

"We wanted to capture a natural image of something humans could relate-ladder. We like the fact the picture is cut off, so you cannot see the end of the vine. The beautiful pattern reveals that nature is full of organized chaos and structured models."

Quandong River
A group selection by Korena Burgio, Amanda Henderson, Paul Stoutenburgh, Erin McCann

"Quandong seeds on a slope near Lake Eacham."

Step into Liquid
By Paul Stoutenburgh

"Man’s craving to return to a natural space."