Bundanon

This theme focuses on the human condition and responsibilities, with engagement in social issues and commentary leading to connection and development of empathy. There are two options within this theme, We are in the World and Speaking Up.

Limbic: We are in the world

Image making can be a powerful way to engage with the world and consider one’s place in the world. Still and moving images are created to explore social issues and commentary. The juxtaposition of the human body with the natural and constructed world leads to questions of care for the environment and human dominance within in.

Activities for Limbic: We are in the world

Spark Ideas (1 hour) 

Explore and critically analyse key works in the Art Museum. The art analysis points outlined here underscore the learning experience design and will be used in the participants’ artistic responses. 

 The Natural (2hours)  

Participants explore the natural environments at Bundanon to learn about different endemic ecological communities (three key communities: riparian, rainforest and tall woodland) and about some of the endangered species that share this location with humans, considering the human impacts here. Explore ways in which to move through the landscape with a light touch and capture macro photographic images, focusing on abstraction via the elements of design including texture, tone, and line in nature. Images will be printed overnight by school staff ready for following day.  

 The Figure and the Environment (1.5 hours) 

Challenge students to consider the figure in the landscape beyond the standard selfie or holiday snap of their own experience. Instead, participants are encouraged to compose images that express a specific relationship between figures and place, in ways that speak of action and impact. A moment of doing that is active and considered rather than passive. 

Participants collaborate in small groups (max 3) to make still and/or moving images of the human figure juxtaposed with various built and natural environments. Participants experiment with props such as lens balls, mirrors, prisms, and fabrics to develop expressive images using concepts of drama, narrative, distortion, and exaggeration. Participants may choose to bring pre-prepared objects or imagery with symbolic or other meanings to be incorporated as part of their work.   

Architectural Investigations (1.5 hours) 

Consider the different eras of built environment, from the 19th century Riversdale Farmhouse, the 1970s Library (designed by Andre Porebski) and Reception (Arthur’s first Shoalhaven studio), the 1999 Boyd Education Centre (designed by Glenn Murcutt, Wendy Lewin and Reg Lark); and the 2021 Art Museum and Bridge (designed by Kirsten Thompson and Associates). Participants will engage with one building (as available). Activity starts with a group discussion about these buildings; their relationship with the site and the landscape. Looking closely, guided by prompts, participants photograph details, considering the intersections between the built, natural, materials and human. The images will focus closely, allowing composition to emphasise elements of these buildings rather than their entirety.  

Reimagining the Seen (3 hours) 

Inspired by the collaged and sculptural effects in Izabela Pluta’s work, participants will use a series of photographs of the landforms and textures taken within the surrounding environment to create a series of assemblages from found objects. A collaged artwork is developed that reimagines the landscape and tell the story of their memories and feelings of this place – recording what they want to remember. Students will be challenged to think beyond the possibilities of a photograph. Constructing their college by exploring techniques of deconstruction, repetition, reconstruction the resulting work will be a 2D collage or 3D paper sculpture. Finally, participants will collaborate to bring their individual collages together to create one large group work.