My latest series on display at Velias Galleria.
This series depicts wildlife tracks meandering across the works and signature waves washing across them. It speaks to tracks showing the wildlife that has lived there and that they are fleeting, weather and waves can erase them, leaving nothing behind to indicate they have ever been there.
Kangaroos and wallabies along with birds like the Orange-bellied Parrot and Gouldian Finch. Two kangaroos
can be seen to approach each other from different areas, stop and interact, then hop off together. While another
can be seen to hop till human footprints are encountered then disappear. The cause could have been one of the
many factor’s humans are responsible for like loss of habitat, culling, road death, just to mention a few. There is
still time to turn the tides on extinction and ensure tracks continue to be left for generations to come.
interaction. Others in the series focus on particular endangered species and highlights the interaction with
humans as one of the major factors threatening their existence.
There is still time to turn the tides on extinction and ensure tracks continue to be left for generations to come.
In some artworks tracks can be seen intersecting human footprints. If the wildlife tracks cease it reflects the negative impact that we can have on wildlife. This may be directly, by removing trees and building on the land they live on, decimating food and homes of the wildlife. Or it may be indirectly by pollution and rubbish contaminating their environment. It may even be as a side effect like a fishing net that is intended for one thing, but may have an innocent turtle swim into it and be trapped.
Some of the tracks shown are of Endangered or Threatened/Vulnerable. Once the tracks stop being made it may be too late to do anything and they will be gone forever.
the green turtle. While the green turtle is still with us more and more are falling to interactions with humans,
being caught in fishing nets or hit by boats. In this artwork it is represented by the turtle tracks coming
against the footprints and disappearing. Birds similarly having their trees removed and pollution is impacting
some species. There is still time to turn the tides on extinction and ensure tracks continue to be left in time for
generations to see.
interaction. Others in the series focus on particular endangered species and highlights the interaction with
humans as one of the major factors threatening their existence.
There is still time to turn the tides on extinction and ensure tracks continue to be left for generations to come.
These works are a wake up call to be aware and do all you can to help our wildlife to continue to leave tracks and make interactions with us a positive experience and not lead to extinction. There are stories behind the tracks and its not too late to ensure the tracks continue to be left for generations to come to enjoy those stories.
Stephen Airey
Airey Arts