Emily Donaldson
Living and growing up in rural Queensland significantly informs my art practice. At present, the work addresses the difficulties experienced by families within the agricultural industry in regional Australia. The misunderstanding of rural industries within the Australian psyche is a primary focus of my practice.
The issues referenced within the work include government policies on drought relief, unregulated market forces, and the narrow perceptions of the majority of Australians who are uninformed about the realities of ‘living off the land’. This rural lifestyle may be a passing chapter of Australian history given the government’s apathy to the harsh realities of Australian agriculture.
Fragmented Sentiment is an installation of donated wood from my rural community, with each piece cut, sanded, varnished and suspended to create a fractured image. This image represents a memory of what the rural lifestyle is becoming over time - fragmented and lost.
As a retired farmer in rural Saskatchewan , Canada your work has evoked my sadness regarding agriculture. We sold our land to a large corporation but fortunately were able to keep our "home" quarter. We have used some of that space to establish a sustainable lifestyle for us. Be that it were for the rest of the world. I think you have captured the essence of a troubled industry.
ReplyDeleteFragmented Sentiment is quite effective at highlighting the turmoil, uncertainty and apathy that farmers (not only in Australia, but the world over) experience. The effect of having all the wood shards suspended and frozen in time, reminds me of an experience I once had when in a car accident; where time slowed down to such a degree that it seemed to almost stop. You have found a very powerful way to convey the ongoing psychological strain that farmers must endure in their daily lives.
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