Roös
When I came up with the idea on our exhibition - Aquaphilia - works of art that investigates the human love for and innate affiliation to water, burning questions of social and environmental issues came to my mind. Even though many programs and management policies are in place to protect vulnerable coastal environments, the question remains on how our human ‘love of water’ can destroy vulnerable ecological systems or - maybe - enhance environmental regeneration. The vulnerable coastline and wetlands at Edwards Point and Swan Bay showed scars of impact from an Anthropocene induced changing climate, mostly evident in how the beach is eroding at the northern shore, resulting in vegetation loss and the loss of breeding spaces for the Plovers. Contrary, deep in the Otway Forest signs are abundant of regeneration and life. On drawings, paintings and large paper scrolls I tried to capture the hidden storylines of natural habitats and human interference, including feelings of immersion and connection to the places while adventuring into the bays, wetlands, rivers, and forests of the greater Barwon South-West region. The title of my works for this group exhibition is named Hydro-Philos Storylines. I hope you enjoy it!
Hydro-Philos Storylines
These drawings and paintings are my expression of feelings, experiences and interpretations of the various natural environments that I immersed myself into - environments connected to water, the stories of Hydro-Philos. Discovering and analysing the meanings of hydrophilic and hydrophobic elements, what the innate connections are between various life forms, including our human love of the waters – aquaphilia – and our place in this ecosystem.