The Australian National University
Faculty of Arts
School of Art
Bachelor of Arts (Visual) Honours
Alex James
STUDIO REPORT
PRESENTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE
Bachelor of Arts (Visual) Honours
A d e c l a r a t i o n of Originality
'I, Alex James declare that the material presented here is the outcome of the Honours project I have undertaken during my candidacy, that I am the sole author unless othen«ise indicated and that I have fully documented the source of ideas, quotations or paraphrases attributable to other authors.'
Abstract
Hidden within the landscape of the Canberra lies a dormant voice. The layering of history and the passing of time have often forgotten the period when Europeans first settled this area. Their stories are hidden within the earth and waterways of the district and although largely unnoticed, their presence remains.
Acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge to local Ngunnawal, who are the traditional owners of the land where I am from. This area holds many diverse histories and the more I learn, the more I realise how little I have known.
I commend Adrian Brown, a local Ngunnawal, who has been very helpful in providing an insight into some important aspects of local history. I also thank Robert Campbell, for sharing his insight into local history and his kind donation of family photographs.
I would like to thank my workshop for conceptual guidance, technical help and offering a resourceful working environment. Martyn Jolly, Denise Fems, Peter Fitzpatrick, Cathy Laudenbach and Matt Higgins have all been very helpful. I thank them for this support and without them this project would not have developed as successfully.
The School of Art and the School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Australian National University also needs to be acknowledged for providing a conducive work environment with top grade facilities It has been a privilege to have the opportunity to study here
Contents
Declaration of Originality 1
Abstract 2
Acknowledgments 3
List of Illustrations 5
Introduction 6
Background 8
The Limestone plains 9
Four Stories of Drowning 11
Context 1 7
Artistic Process 20
List of Illustrations
1 Summer, 1843 Alex James 2004 120cm x 90cm.
1 0 Fred Sullivan on horseback on the bed of the Molonglo River,
Springbank, Circa 1882, Photographer unknown.
1 • 1 Murrumbidgee RiverA 890, Charles Keny, Glass plate negative.
1 -2 Queanbeyan from Pound Hill 1879, Charles Kenv, Glass plate negative.
1 -3 Goulbourn and evening Penny Post. June 5, 1892 Alex James.
C-type photographs 24 x 17cm.
1.4 Margerafe/WcP/ierson, National Library of Australia collection,
reproduction from Glass plate negative. Photographer unknown,
1.5 Miss Penelope Wilkinson. National Library of Australia collection ,
reproduction from Glass plate negative. Photographer unknown,
1.6 Exert from Salisbury, J (2000) St John's Churchyard, p i 10, Digital
Photograph, Photographer unknown,
1 7 Queen Nellie, National Library of Australia collection, reproduction from
Glass plate negative Photographer unknown.
1.8 Autumn circa 1871, Alex James, 2004 C-type Print 120cm x 90cm.
1.9 Mrs Kate Marion Crace, National Library of Australia, reproduction from
glass plate negative. Photographer unknown,
1.10 Comfort, 2000, Anne Hogan C-type diptych, 75cm x 50cm,
1.11 Asikkala (The Topography of Murders), 2003, An Saarto, Digital Prints
5 5 c m X 4 3 c m
1.12 Untitled 2004 Alex James, Digital Prints, 21cm x 14cm,
1.13 Contact Print 2004 Alex James 10cm x 8cm.
1 1 4 Contact Print 2004 Alex James 10cm x 8cm.
Introduction
"They are all here, somewhere between my mind and the
physical reality of the dark and quiet of a warm Australian
Sunday midnight. Here, now, Burra. this tiny speck in the
vast and stan^ inspirited landscape."
Peter Read, Haunted Earth. 2002.
The Canben-a district and much of the Australian continent has been in the grip of drought for the
past few years and our water supply greatly diminished. During such times it forces the
community to reassess it's usage of this valuable resource. The river systems of this area hold
histories that will only be found when searching deeply. Our own pasts can shape ourselves and
determine strength of character. Also the collective history of a region can shape it's own psyche
and, in a way, determine it's future Around Canben'a, the place where I have grown, the rivers
tell a story of prosperous yet difficult lives sustained by some mighty rivers, as well as tragedy
and destruction that has left scars on the landscape that are not obvious but are nonetheless
there. When the waters retreat they reveal a history that can inform us about the nature of this
land's heart.
Last year I became interested in the relationship between people, place and related histories In
particular the imprint that is left once this relationship has been established. A book called
Haunted Earth deals with issues of site history and human interaction and it held my interest for a
number of reasons'. Primarily because of my own attachments to place and bonds that I have
established whilst growing up. An example of this is my memory of a house that was owned by
my Grandfather in Narooma on the south coast of New South Wales. I am connected to this place
because of the memories that I have accumulated there over the years. Like when I used to lie in
my bed and hear the distant murmurings of family conversations and I would convince myself that
at a certain time of night spirits would descend from the nearby cemetery and wander the streets
would spend sleepless nights waiting for some kind of sign or communication that never did eventuate Nevertheless. I was convinced that they were there.
My grandfather is now buried in the cemetery at Narooma. and It is easy for me to see why he chose that as his final resting place. Although he lived most of his life in the Canberra and Cooma districts, Narooma was the place where he felt the most at ease. This was where he felt connected and sun-ounded by fond memories. In my own exploration of memory and place I have found that places of significance are usually associated with a quiet contemplation. Sites of problem resolution or spiritual practice are synonymous with this kind of tranquillity, as are places of grief or tragedy. Graves bear the mark of a reflective quietness, as do roadside memorials, even through the heavy sound of the highway. Places of good experiences convey a warmth that can be comforting, while places of bad times can convey a sense of remoteness and isolation. Perhaps this is why he chose Narooma For him, it was full of happy memories and family togetherness that I think would have brought him that feeling of warmth and comfort Wholesome times spent with people that were close to him and activities that he enjoyed and helped to relax him.
Background
"And they are all here: The sea in a shell,
An echo's silence in the mind:
each making the other real. This round and failing red, The promised girl and her lover.
No image can ever be deserted.'
-From Judith Wright, Train Journey, 1953
1.0 Fred Sullivan on horseback on the bed of the Molonglo River. Springbank. Circa 1882, Photographer unknown.
Pictures of the past often become fixed in my mind and have a sense of reappearance.
This was exemplified during heritage week when I went to a torchlight tour of St Johns
Churchyard^. Some energetic and l<nowledgeable tour guides escorted us around the churchyard
and informed us about the beginnings of Canbeha as a European settlement. We passed the
Crace family plot and were told the story of the drowning of Edward Crace and his coachman
George Kemp. With emotion our guide spol<e of their coach being stuck in the Ginninderra Creek.
Frantic efforts by George Harcourt and others tried to save the two with the rising waters
hindering their attempts We were told of the engagement of George Kemp to Penelope
Wllkonson, and how she was buried with the coachman at St John's some 48 years later after his
death, following a 22-year marriage to another man. Whilst wandering through these relics of
local history I had an epiphany. Although bom in the Canberra district I had relatively limited
knowledge of local history, but his churchyard tour would be the beginning of my drive to learn
more of Canberra's past, to learn about the history of the area that my own family has lived in for
three generations.
The Limestone Plains
I \Murrumbidgee /J/verI890, Charles Kerry, Glass plate negative.
Human habitation of Uie area had lasted for 10 000 years or more before the arrival of
Europeans^. One subject dominated the initial exchange between the local Kamberri tribe and the
explorer Dr Charles Throsby: The search for a Considerable River''. After the discovery of Lake
George and it's subsequent naming by Governor Macquarie in late 1820, Throsby headed south
to look for the Murrumbeeja', as the natives referred to it. It was apparently north flowing and
went through an open treeless plain. As Macquarie was looking to open up the colony through
pastoral expansion and this expedition would prove to have a beneficial end. Not only did Dr
Throsby discover the Molonglo and Queanbeyan Rivers but also the once elusive Murrumbeeja.
This provided an opportunity for European settlers to move into the district. The first of these was
Robert Campbell who was granted the land from Duntroon to Yarrowlumla®. Joshua Moore came
soon aftenwards when he acquired 500 hectares at Acton, which is the cun-ent site of the National
Museum of Australia. These first settlements were based around these rivers and after 1825
many more settlers would come to the area.
' For more on the human occupation of the Limestone Plains go to Flood, J. (1980: 57-60). ''Gillespie, L.L (1991:54).
1 . 2 Oueanbeyun from Fourul Hill 1879, Charles K e n y , Glass plate negative
Through visits to the National Library I found selected historians that wrote much about the eariy
European history of the Limestone Plains. John Gale and Samual Scumack were men who wrote
extensively about the district and it's undertakings and who lived hereafter the1870s. John Gale
wrote as an editor for The Queanbeyan Age whilst Samuel Schumack wrote as a historian and
lived as a local landowner with an extremely recollective memory From this reading I became
amused at the style of writing and the language used to retell the stories of the district.
When speaking of people drowning they wrote in a way that was almost poetic. Long flowing
sentences that would speak of the happenings as if they were directly involved. This use of
language would prove to be important because within the context of art making, it can provide the
audience wnth an idea as to the time period that is being covered.
Four Stories of Drowning
"No, not even the cold silent soil
Your memory can ever hide:
Your gentle ways and winning smile
Like your footprints shall aye abide
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives more sublime.
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time."
From In memory of kenneth Cameron 1876, Elizabeth McKeanie/
There are many stones of drowning in the rivers that surround the Limestone Plains, It can be
difficult to refine these into a body of work. However, I decided to frame my labour around four
such events, I chose four because I wanted each season to represent the passing of time and
layering of history, Canberra has very distinctive seasons wflth vast variances in temperature and
weather conditions that mal<e the area both beautiful and harsh, depending on the elements
Summer, 1843
¥
1,4 Margerate McPherson
According to historians records of European drowning fatalities date bacl< to 1843. David
McPherson, a young boy of twelve died in the Molonglo River near Glebe Farm (present day next
to the National aquariumf. It was while St Johns Church was In the process of constnjction and a
builder with the surname Cameron used to come and visit the McPherson family with other
workmen on a regular basis. The men apparently found David in the river close to the McPherson
home. He was apparently playing next to the river when he fell in. Mrs McPherson had a
premonition of the event the previous day when she thought she saw the workmen approaching
and canying a bundle of burden ®. She was very distressed when she found that they weren't
there. The next day the workmen found David and canned him to the McPherson house.
The McPherson family were a humble family who immigrated to Australia from Scotland. They
had been in the area for 4 years and moved away some months after David's death because Mrs
McPherson could no longer take the grief of living near the Molonglo River'".
" Map of location of Glebe Farm and other homesteads of Canben-a can be found in Gillespie, L.L,(2000) Canben-a's Pioneer Families p32.
''Schumack, S. (1967: 52).
Winter, 1851
1.5 M i s s P e n e l o p e W i l k i n s o n
George Edward Gregory was the first officiating minister of St Johns Church and he moved into the district in 1848. He lived in the rectory at Acton, a house originally built by Joshua Moore on the northenn bank of the Molonglo River. Gregory was apparently well loved by the people of the area he became engaged to Penelope Wilkinson and was preparing to be ordained as a priest^ V He was visiting families of the area wrfien he attempted to cross the Molonglo River.
Eyewitnesses describe the story:
•We rcmonsiraicd with him upcin ihc folly of such an aiicmpt and ihc risk he would run. but all lo no purpose I and my hrother-in-law .. one of us leading his horse, weni to the (;rossmg-plai;e wilh him. We ined lo make the horse lake lo (he nver but he refused lo do so. broke away from us and ran up the lanc-way... In the meantime, Mr Gregory-stripped otThis coat, waistcoat, boots, braces and nccklie, and thus prepared, as it unhappily prov<^. to meet his death. I asked him to feel the water with his feet to learn how cold it was, but heedless of the suggestion, he plunged into the river He swam well, hut the currcnt carried him down the stream and he could not get away from the bank which had now become steep, with the water running nearly lo its level. 1 spoke to him, and he replied and seemed quite strong and confident, t still followed him down the stream, and held out my coallohim. soclose wushe to me, in the hope that he would takeholdof it.but he seemed not lo noticc it. Icallcd tu him to float on his back, but he merely turned up his face and made no exertion. The next minute he was swept far from me. and after the faint exclamation "Oh! save me." he sank. He again rose and then disappeared. I called for assistance but it was too late All of us had tried to prevent him from attempting to swim the river, but to no purpose, for being a Sydney champion swimmer, he wasconlldem he should get safe over.. A number of friends, assisted
by Mr Witts, Chief Constable, and his policemen, found the body on the 2.'?rd." 12
1.6 Exert from Salisbury, J ( 2 0 0 0 ) St John's Churchyard. p 1 1 0 .
Gregory was 25 years of age. There are numerous plaques around St Johns church in memory of him. He was engaged to be mamed to Miss Penelope Wilkinson three weeks after his death.
^^ Salisbury, J. (2000).
Autumn, circa 1871
1.7 Q u e e n Nellie
There is a story of interest about a local Aboriginal boy. There is a system of caves njnning next
to Burra Creek that is the location of some intriguing stories. The European documentation speak
of men finding hundreds of human bones in the caves wtiich led them to speculate that pertiaps it
may have been used as a burial site for the local tribes. In his memoires, Martin Brennan claimed
to have found these bones in 1874 that he took to the police in Queanbeyan and an inquest was
carried out".
Through conversations with local Ngunnawal members I have heard about different histories that
have been passed down aurally rather than recorded in text'"'. They speak of London Bridge
being a place where members of local tribes went to die. According to members Syphilis and
Typhoid were major contributing factors In the demise of local indigenous tribes and the caves
around the bridge served as a kind of Hospice for infected members.
Adrian Brown claims to be a relative of a boy who was infected with Typhoid and as the nights
were growing cold and his strength was leaving him, he walked into the creek under London
Bridge and not being able to swim subsequently drowned. He was found floating in the creek the
morning after.
This drowning is different because the history has not been written and archived in a library
however the site bears similarities because it bears the history of a life cut short. It shows another
side to life of that period. It speaks of the demise of local Aboriginal Tribes from disease. The boy
was an offspring of Queen Nellie who was recorded as being the last full blood Ngunnawal. In
November 1872 the Queanbeyan Age reported that the tribe had been reduced to one adult
male- Bobby Hamilton, his wife Nellie and their remaining children Eddie and Millie. Over the next
three years Bobby and his children all died leaving Nellie as the sole surviving full blood member
of the Ngunnawal. She was presented a brass plate by the Aborigines protection board and was
then referred to as Queen Nellie In 1897 she died in Queanbeyan hospital.
Spring, 1892
1,9 Mrs Kate Marion Crace
Edward Crace was a prominent landowner and merchant towards ttie end of the 19® Century. He
was successful and well known In the district and employed many men. Crace and his coachman,
George Kemp, were on their way back to his Gungahlin homestead when they stopped at George
Harcourt's store to pick up some supplies. It had been raining heavily that day and they were
warned against crossing the rising Ginninderra Creek by the storekeeper. Keen to get home
Crace decided to risk the crossing and set off with Kemp. Their buggy became stuck at the
crossing between Harcourt's store and the Gungahlin Homestead. With the waters rising the two
called for help. Harcourt and some others amved at the scene but it was impossible to reach the
men. Kemp was hit on the head by some wood from the coach and went down. The men lost
sight of Crace soon after He reappeared briefly downstream but went under again and was not
seen alive again.
Grace's body was found later that night but the body of George Kemp was not found for 10 days.
The local police conducted an extensive search of the area but were unable to locate the body
The search was abandoned after nine days. The historian Samuel Schumack dreamt that he saw
the body in a deep channel where the accident occurred and when they went there the next day
the body was found there'^ The inscription of Edward Grace's headstone reads:
"When thou passest through the waters. I will be with thee."
Context
"To ask whether a photograph is analogical or coded is not a good
means of analysis. The important thing is that the photograph possesses an evidential force, and
that it's testimony bears not on the object but on time."
-Roland Barthes, Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography
I have always been interested with the power of the photograph to represent non-literal human
presence. The ability for the image to imply a presence without human form literally being
depicted. I have enjoyed the work of Artists like Anne Hogan'®, and Ari Saarto", for this very
reason. I enjoy artists with this ability to capture the essence and ambiance of past occupation.
Jk
1.10 Comfort. 2000, Anne Hogan C-type diptychAri Saarto creates this kind of presence. By revisiting the sites of historic tragedies he forces the
viewer to consider the imprint that an event has on a landscape and the relationship between the
image and the grief that can surround a site. His work The Topography of Murder depicts
execution sites of the Finnish Civil War of 1918. There are images of forests, roadsides, ditches
and gravel pits which he describes as "the unmapped grey area of war - sites of illegal killings'
" Anne Hogan is a Sydney based artist. " A r i Saarto is an artist from Finland
1.11 Asikkala (The Topography of Murders), 2003. An Saarto. Digital Prints 55cm x 43cm.
1.12 Untitled 1997 From Milcael Levin, War Story. Gelatin Silver Print, 46cm « 37cm
"These photos, I here argue, silently question the reliance on historical context as an histoncal
framework. They situate us specifically in relation to something off the map ofhistohcist readings"
Mikael Levin's photographs in his series War Story depict holocaust sites of Worid War ii. I feel
they are particulariy powerful because of their depiction of absence. They do not contain direct
evidence of their importance. What is initially considered is not the importance of their context but
their formal qualities alone. The depictions of space without strong reference points offer another
view than that read in history books By depicting these landscapes of nothing they suggest to me
that there is a need to rethink the context of history. Instead of showing markers of memorial
stones or other keys of reference, the context is put simply in the accompanying text: Ttiese are
Holocaust sites."
This notion of past residue has played a large role in my previous work. In 2003,1 worked on a
response to the subject of Missing people in the local Canben-a area. Titled Last Scene the work
evolved from accounts of eyewitnesses of the last sightings of these people before their
disappearances. In an attempt to recreate the ambiance of mystery that surrounded these cases,
and bring the viewer to consider their tragic nature, I visited and photographed the sites at the
approximate time that the witnesses reported seeing the individuals. The work was influenced by
the work of Saarto as well as the work by Canben'a artist Marzena Wasikowski in her Forenzic
Landscape series.
I am also interested in the landscape photography by artists such as the pictorial work of Alfred
Steiglitz and the more contemporary wori^ of Bill Henson and Hiroshi Sugimoto. Their use of long
exposures and dark subject matter and motif work has always been paramount in my artistic
research and I have grown more and more fond of this type of artistic pursuit particulariy within
the photographic field.
Bill Henson's publication Lux et Nox I have looked at in regards to It's use of low light and dark,
haunting imagery used in conjunction with other motifs of transition to form a coherent yet
ambiguous nan-ative that allows the viewer to draw his or her own conclusion depending on how
they choose to interpret the set of images
Artistic Process
Being interested in the idea of presence and residue I approached buildings and areas that had
been abandoned in the hope of discovering some kind of key to it's past and leftovers of previous
occupaUon. Through my research I found myself becoming interested in buildings and areas that
had been left to njin and abandoned by their previous occupants. I visited sites that had this
sense of vacancy and discarded qualities like the previous AIATSIS building (below) and the old
Township of Adaminaby and began accumulating images with a digital camera.
t
1.13 UnfKted 2004 Alex James. Digital Prints. 21cm x 14cm
My research at this stage was directed mainly at the writings of Peter Read and Tom Griffiths and
the connection between people and place. The abandoned buildings that I was to visit held a
mystery that intrigued me. The lives that lived around these buildings were unknown and this held
a certain intrigue that drove me to photograph them more. However, I knew nothing of the people
who inhabited these places and to me that created a dead end. All I could do was speculate on
what happened around the spaces. I wanted stories that directly related to Canberra's past and
my own sense of place and personal idenUty within a collective history.
Through both my artistic and conceptual research I began visiting drowning sites. As I began
the stories that they are associated with. I wanted the sites to all be linked by the fact that they
were sites of drowning and premature death but separated by different aspects of history, for
example, time period sociological background and location.
I began photographing sites using my Roiiicord. Although I love this Camera and have used it for
previous bodies of work there was an issue with grain and lack of sharpness the images were
enlarged. I blew up some prints when working with the scale and realised they were the more
successful larger. However, as the images were enlarged from medium format, the grain would
become visible and the detail would break up. This would be a problem I wanted to capture as
much detail as was possible wflthin the frame to connect with the conception.
Through consultation with my workshop it was suggested that I begin shooting with a larger
format negative in order to retain sharpness and detail within the landscape. This was not as easy
as it sounded. Shooting with a large format camera turned out to be a challenging experience^.
Immediately I ran into difficulties. Difficulties with composition, focusing, depth of field, exposure,
it was like learning a new language. Although this was frustrating, it also provided me with an
investigation that would prove exciting, difficult and rewarding for its output.
Time after time I would receive processed negatives that were inadequate because of problems
with vignetting and depth of field (fig. 1.14). To summarise, after around 25 sheets of colour film I
finally got a result that had potential. The problem was rectified through trial and en'or and this
experience was pivotal in my research. I was now skilled technically and therefore I was free to
photograph my chosen sites with confidence of knowing that I could get repeatable results that
visualised my concept. This was a liberating time as the larger negative was integral to my work
because of the scale that was necessary. For me this technical research was invaluable.
1 14 Contact Prml 2 0 0 4 Alex J a m e s l O c m x S c m
[
^ ^ ^ ^ I? '
1 15 Contact P n n l 2 0 0 4 Alex J a m e s 10cm x 8cm
Once these technical issues were resolved and the size of the final output was decided, the next
step was to work out how many images were needed in order to represent the outcome that I was
trying to achieve. As was mentioned earlier, the number of drownings that would be shown was
four but how many images would there be in each set? After playing around with small working
prints and then with larger mural prints, I decided that in the final show the number would be
1,16 Winter 1851 Alex James 2004 95cm x 110cm I decided to go with four because wtien I looked at three of the images on the wall they did not
feel complete and I felt that a fourth image made them more complete and provided some kind of
finality and resolution.
One of the last issues that I had to deal with was that of how much to Include in the final show.
Considering the amount of background work that I did it felt natural to include a lot of information
and tell the audience as many details as was possible Through much consultation I came to the
conclusion that it would be more appropriate to refine the work so as to not bombard the viewer
wflth too much information. I remembered the work of Mikael Levin. I found his retraction of
information to be powerful and for me. made the work more interesting. Bill Henson uses limited
text in order for his audience in a way, to draw their own conclusions. I have respect for people
who take the time to look at my work and don't feel as if they need to overioad w/ith information. I
refined the pictorial communication to the point, using selection techniques, where the images are
Conclusion
Whilst visiting ttiese sites I felt as if I had a strong link to the past through learning about the lives
of these people. These sites hold significance because they tell us about the history of our
waten«ays and the lives that revolved around these areas I was drawn to these stories because
of my own tears of large bodies of water and the memories and dreams that have recurred ever
since I can remember. The images I have produced say much about my own subconscious
memory as well as the collective history of the Canberra district.
Through learning about the past of our surroundings I feel we can learn more about ourselves
within our own areas.
I have greatly enjoyed this research project and I have grown closer to finding my own sense of
Bibliography
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Brennan, M. (1907) Reminiscences of the Goldfields, and elsewhere in New South Wales:
Covering a Period of Forty-Eight Years as an Officer of Police, Williams Books, Sydney.
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Flood, J. (1980) The Moth Hunters: Aboriginal Prehistory of the Australian Alps. Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra
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Schumacl<, S. (1967) Tales and Legends of Canberra Pioneers Australian National University Press, Canberra.
Star, B.J. (1999) Soil. Erosion. Phosphorous and Dryland Salinity in the Upper fvlurrumbldgee: Past Change and Other Findings. Ttie Upper Mumjmbidgee Co-ordinating Committee, Canben-a. Sugimoto. H. and Kellein, T. Hiroshimo Sugimoto : Time Exposed, Thiames and Hudson, London. Wigmore, L. (1963) The Long View: A History of Canberra, The Specialty Press, Melbourne.
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M o v i e s
Summersault
Oscar and Lucinda
T e l e v i s i o n P r o g r a m s
Addenda 1 - Honours Proposal
1. Aims:
a) What are you aiming to investigate?
For my honours year I would like to bring togettier the studies I have undergone in my combined degree of Anthropology and Photomedia and also my complimentary studies in Multimedia. The notions of human traces and the formation of associated nan-ative have always been important to my research and art making practice so far in my years at the School of Art and I have enjoyed producing work along these lines. I would like to research the local history and formulate a body of work that comments and informs the audience about significant local events that have influenced the local area. The types of topics I will be looking at are:
- Significant local events and the formation of a visual narrative - The relationship between form and literary components. - Visual structure and its relationship with definition.
- Aesthetics and deeper meaning.
For example, I have been researching significant Aboriginal sites around the Canben'a area and have become interested in the clashes and initial encounters that occurred between the local Aboriginal tribes and white settlers. It would interest me to research this type of thing further and form a body of work that relates to these initial contacts between people of two vastly different backgrounds
b) How are your previous work and experience relevant to the
proposed project?
From first year I have been exploring the way audiences bring certain meanings and pre-conceived ideas to work. This continued throughout my 2nd and 3rd years only these ideas have been developed more exclusively into how meaning and definition have related to the
2. Methods and Materials.
My research component will involve the initial background study of significant events that have affected the local area and investigate how these events have been interpreted in contemporary times. I will have to interview people who have been directly and indirectly related and gather material in order to begin formulating a body of work. This semester my work has involved people w h o have gone missing around the Canberra area and my current research has been to do with the background of the individuals as well as the details surrounding their disappearance. My Honours research would be conducted in a similar way only much more in depth than the 3rd year work I also intend to continue researching related artists w h o have dealt with similar issues.
b) What materials do you intend to use?
Throughout 3rd Year I have been working with large-scale mural prints and would like to continue with this process as I feel that it gains the impact that is required for my subject matter. I am particularly interested in outputting analogue prints as opposed to digitally as I have been enjoying utilising the new equipment that my workshop has acquired. Large prints I have found quite a challenge and I would like to do further experimentation o n paper and film types and how they relate to each other. I would also like do further exploration within the multimedia field and do some further work with data projection either in conjunction v^ith the mural prints or as a related but separate work. I have been working with an old medium format Rollicord camera and have been producing results that I a m happy with and would like to further uMlize this piece of equipment to develop skills within the area of fine grain medium format photography. Also I would like to develop my skills with finishing work in regards to mounting and/or framing.
c) If you intend to develop new skills, please detail.
New skills will involve finishing work (as mentioned above) and potentially developing new skills as they relate to the multimedia component on the project. Programs are always being updated as technology is developed which means that when using new versions of programs like Director one has to learn the new aspects of the updated versions.
d) Are there any special resources you will need to carry out the
project?
3. Context
a) What is the wider context for the proposed research project?
Please discuss how your project relates to the work of other
artists and/or areas of investigation.
My work is influenced by contemporary artists such as Sugimoto, for tiis use of long exposures to create atmosphere; Bill Henson for his dark imagery, constant motifs and use of narrative expression; Anne Hogan for her ability to create ambience in empty spaces and also Impressionistic Painters for the simple act of recreating mood and feeling. Through my Anthropological studies I have read much A C. Haddon and Levi-Strauss and been influenced by their theories on visual Anthropology. David McDowell taught me through my complimentary studies at ACAT and I was also influenced by some of his work
b) Are there any texts (visual or written) relevant to your project?
The writings of Elizabeth Edwards particularly in a publication titled "Raw Histories" is particularly relevant to the project mainly because she talks about the relationship between the photograph and history. Also Bill Henson's "Lux et Nox", wrtiich is a visual publication without text can be relevant in the style of imagery that I wish to present.
4. Outcomes
My desired outcome will involve two separate but related bodies of work. One will be a Multimedia installation inside an enclosed space. The other will involve a series of at least 12 mounted photographic pieces of large scale (at least 1 m by 1 m).
5. Timeframe
December - February;
Commence research component. Research specific events and start accumulating information. Gather all background information needed for thorough research Look at prospective sites and begin photographing.
Semester 1 (March to July):
- Continue more in depth research.
Continue with shoots on site w/ith variation on the type of shooting and site relationships. Experimentation with film types as well as paper types.
Lighting experimentation, flash experimentation
Begin test printing and develop ideas for final scale and size Have some examples of finished product for mid-year review
Semester 2 (July to November)
Addenda 2 - Updated proposal
1. Discuss the aims of your project.
The aim of this project is to create artwork in response to the theme of people and place. The physical and mental exploration of particular sites of significance where people have developed forms of attachment and the subsequent abandonment that can sometimes follow The notions of lingering human traces have always been of interest to me both in study and art making and within the research and for my honours year I have been looking at the local Canben'a history and visiting particular sites in order to formulate a body of work that asks the audience to engage with issues such as memory and loss, history and abandonment and other transitional themes that arise from human attachment.
2. Give a brief outline of your research to date
a) Methods and materialsWhat studio-based working/ research methods are you using?
My research component has involved the initial background study of significant events and places that influence the local area and I have investigated how these events have been interpreted in contemporary times. For example, I have been researching writers such as Peter Read and Tom Roberts who deal with notions of personal and cultural attachments to particular sites. I have been researching the local pastoral and aboriginal heritage, in particular that of Namadgi area of the Ngunnawal People. I have been researching particular artists that deal with similar issues such as Ari Saarto and Glen Sloggett.
b) What materials/media are you using?
I have been shooting on a range of different cameras in order to find one that most suits my intentions. I have continued using the Rollicord that I was using towards the end of last year and have produced results that I am happy with. However in order to see the potential of other cameras I have also been shooting on a Mamiya RZ and a large format Cambio, the results of which I am . I have been printing in the darkroom on various paper sizes and types and have found the Kodak Ultra to be the best for me.
Do you have all the resources you require to carry out the project?
At this stage, yes. However, there is a large format camera that is designed specifically for the field that I would like to use and I have been informed that it will be returning soon
C) Context
The writings of Peter Read are particularly important to my work both thematically and contextually. He writes of the significance of sites to people and how they articulate their meaning. Bill Hensen's "Lux et Nox" is also important to me because within this work he was present and instrumental throughout the entire process of the work, from the taking of the photograph to outputting the final product. This is also important because I am also instrumental in all steps within the formation of work. The writings and work of Ari Saarto is influential because of the psychologically challenging nature of his work, particulariy his Empty Spaces publication.
Outcomes
Probable outcome will involve 20 1m x 1m photographic works installed in a closed space preferably without windows There is also the possibility of a multimedia installation time and logistics permitting.
Timeframe (July to November)
July - August: Continue shooting and printing. Many tutorials and critique sessions. Sort out potential spaces for final examination.
September: Finish off shooting, most of this month will be spent in the darkroom. Continue with crits and tutorials Sort out panel members.
Curriculum Vitae
Alex James
41 WarramooCrescenI
Narrabundh. A C T 2604 Phone 102) 6261 5676 0416 085 676 allam01iayahoo.coiti.au
Born 1976, Canberra, Australia
Group Exhibitions
2003
Photoaccess Members exhibition Photoaccess arts center, Griffith ACT 2002 Dust National Ivluseum of AustraliaEnd of year show for the Centre for New IVledia Arts (CNI\/1A), ANU.
2002
Nine to five
Beijing college of the Arts, Group documentarphotography showNine to five Photospace, National
Institute of the Arts, The Australian National University.
Solo Exhibitions
