Pop-up Exhibition Reciprocal Relations People & Plants with AIR Jodie Goldring 11 July- 18 July 2024

Jodie Goldring, our current Artist in Residence, will be having a pop-up exhibition starting this Thursday, 11 July from 10am-2pm in the June Marriot Gallery at Central Craft. It will be running for one week. She will be showcasing her findings and creations since coming here. She has been exploring reciprocal relationships with plants and people.

I have enjoyed this rare opportunity to carry out an independent creative research project that will sustain my practice into the future. My research has focused on the ecological concepts of Mutualism and reciprocal relationships (as articulated in Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book, Braiding Sweetgrass). Mutualism is a scientific concept that describes a mutually beneficial relationship between two species. For example, the starting point and inspiration for the project is the mistletoe bird (gardener) and mistletoe (garden) who co-exist in a mutualistic relationship in Alice Springs and the surrounding area.

My slow art practice involves participating in a small number of projects each year. Sculptural baskets and fibre artworks are time consuming to make, so cannot be rushed. Sustainable practice requires that I work within parameters of limited resources.

My residency has involve talking with local gardeners, writers and artists about their reciprocal relationships to specific plants. I have been meeting people for conversations in domestic gardens, community gardens, and the broader parks and landscapes around Alice Springs. The conversations have informed & generated audio files, photos, text, drawings and weaving trials, all of which will contribute to building a body of situated local knowledge.