Zartisha Davis

The thing is, part of the reason we find ourselves in this position today is because we impose ourselves on the environment. What if we were to allow it to impress itself on us more often – to allow it to wrap around us – to nurture us, and us, it?

Connection to Country, as it might be thought of through a First Nations lens, describes a deeply meaningful and complex relationship – an affinity and flow between people and place. It requires us to think about more than simply what we want from somewhere and something.

Zartisha Davis creates a space to ponder this. Two transparent domes on the river’s edge invite us in and direct our attention towards the sky. Limited headroom and scattered cushions below encourage us to take to the ground – a physical connection to the earth beneath. The lower part of each bubble is wrapped in fabric adorned with midden motifs, exquisitely crafted by Davis against a vibrant blue background – obscuring much of the built environment and encouraging us to pay attention to what is always there but we don’t often see. Stepping inside this place of escape becomes almost like entering a midden itself – the site once boasting a giant mound of oyster shells – inviting us to connect quietly with this place from within these imagined, culturally significant structures.

ARTIST BIO

Zartisha Davis is a passionate Kabi Kabi / Gubbi Gubbi Traditional Owner, artist, dancer and storyteller, whose work blends her rich cultural heritage with contemporary approaches to art making.

This artwork has two clear domes by the river. Inside, you lie down and see designs of ancient shell mounds, connecting you to nature and culture.