Semblance
Sculpture in the vineyards 2015
Semblance is a site specific work made for the annual, Sculpture in the Vineyards exhibition in, Wollombi, New South Wales, Australia. The work was commissioned as part of a residency at Wollombi wines and responds to the contested history of the area.
The 1850's gold rush dramatically changed the appearance and demographics of the Hunter Valley and surrounding regions. The indigenous population, The Wonnarua, where forced from their traditional lands as settlers moved in. Often the refusal to leave ended in bloodshed. Only now are we beginning to acknowledge the crimes committed upon indigenous people during colonization. It is an imperative that we rewrite the history we have constructed for ourselves so that future generations will know the truth.
The branch (found in a nearby creek) was first charred on a bonfire of vine pruning before being quenched with rainwater. Once dry, the branch was covered in gold leaf and erected on site. Over time, with people touching the branch and from the natural elements, the gold leaf falls away from the surface exposing the charred surface below
Semblance, 2016, Burnt tree branch, gold leaf, Dimensions variable