Iwara (Tracks)
Observations whilst traveling through the land and the journey of the continents through time.
Indigenous perspectives & scientific modeling celebrated together through art.
Iwara is a truly unique painting created by Daisy Walkabout, Alison Mooney, Geraldine Okai, Beryl DeRose, Christine Brumby and Ben Beeton. The scientific data was provided by Ben Price. The sculpture was constructed by Harry Holden with design input from Ben Beeton and Ben Price.
The painting has in its make up two ways of seeing landscape changing through time. It was an experimental work to see if aesthetically scientific modeling and indigenous perspectives could co-exist through the common thread of land changing through time. The scientific data on the movement of the continents over 2 billion years was translated into long lines running from the bottom to the top of the scroll. The bottom being 2 billion years ago and the top being the present day. Each different coloured line represents a different landmass moving across the planet. The red central line in the painting is Australia. In collaboration with Harry Holden the data was also turned into a laser cut sculpture. The Anangu artists introduced the notion of traveling through the landscape with seasonal change. There are other references to Tjukurpa in the painting. Tjukurpa is the word that Pitjantjatjara-speaking Anangu use to describe the force which unites Anangu with each other and with the landscape.
Harry Holden, Ben Price, Ben Beeton concept outline for the model.
Ben Beeton talking about the sculpture and accompanying animation
Animation of the continents through time with Ben Price providing voice over introduced by Ben Beeton.
At the beginning of the project after consultation with researcher Ben Price, Ben Beeton provided the diagram and his drawing below to artist Alison Mooney who made the scroll and painted the lines.
Alison then posted the scroll to Ben at Uluru who reworked the painting. Ben Price who had collated a lot of the scientific research and developed the concepts for the artworks with Ben Beeton said that he felt the Anangu people who are the traditional owners would relate to the idea. Ben Beeton therefore took the scroll to the Anangu artists who painted at Uluru and explained what the idea of the scroll was. Ben invited the artists to add their interpretation of landscape changing through time to the artwork. The artists Daisy Walkabout, Geraldine Okai, Beryl DeRose and Christine Brumby accepted the invitation. Below is the process.
Researcher and science communicator Ben Price talking about common ground before the project commenced.
Daisy Walkabout and Ben Beeton discuss the painting
Iwara of the Supercontinents
Finished painting with the model
Adding Uluru to central Australia in the present. The red line represents Australia moving across the planet and taking shape over 2 billion years.
Ben Price working out the time to distance ratio for the model
