SITEWORKS KICKS OFF

Siteworks is Bundanon's ongoing project engaging artists, environmental scientists and experts from a range of disciplines to collaborate on site-based research, development and production. For 2010, over fifteen participants from diverse fields were brought together for ten days of discussion and creative development. These participants lived together in a laboratory environment, hatching ideas, exploring new directions and making work that crosses artistic and environmental disciplines.

At the Siteworks Field Day at Bundanon on the 25th - artists, environmentalists and scientists shared their research and exhibited what they'd been working on during The Lab. The public were invited to participate during the day in weaving workshops, walks, talks, performances and installations around the Bundanon property. Audiences followed the action - listening to a dawn chorus in the sitting room of the homestead, observing the way birds affect our behaviour, taste-testing nettle soup, watching a ghostly figure dance on the river and experiencing echoes of the past and indigenous language lost re-placed in the landscape.

The next day, audiences reconvened for a Forum held at Riversdale where urgent local and global issues of water, food and climate change were discussed. Science journalist and broadcaster Robyn Williams chaired the forum inviting guest speakers including river activist Charlie Weir, digital artist Gary Warner, human geographer Lesley Head, marine research scientist Pia Winberg, multimedia artist Lyndal Jones and agronomist Maarten Stapper to share their knowledge and approaches to some of the big questions of our time.

The event was a huge success - with many artworks seeded, conversations begun and connections made. We look forward to continuing the Siteworks project so keep an ear and eye out for word of future events.