Ex Libris (from the collection of) Christina Lowry
Photos by Jade Ferguson @visualpoetssociety
The feeling of seeing 1,000 porcelain skulls laid out like artifacts from one side of the gallery to the other is difficult to explain. So many hands made these skulls. So many conversations and connections. I recognise skulls and can recall the particular workshop and am reminded of the person who made them. One studying to be a librarian. Another a plumber living in the UK. A teachers aid. A native plant nursery worker. Children. Families. Carers. What a privilege it has been to share time with them and make this beautiful work with and from the community.
And how reaffirming to see the skulls being purchased and taken away on opening night, with funds being raised for wildlife conservation.
Dr Bree Di Mattina introduced my show and I wanted to record her words below for posterity.
Many thanks to Fiona, Bree, Jade, The Logan Art Gallery staff, the Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary staff, Cathy and Alice, Dan, Metro Arts, RADF, Barry, Martin, Woolloongabba Art Gallery, Queensland Museum staff, Carl, Ally, Our Logan, ABC Radio, and of course my family.
Thanks for your love and support. xx
“Good evening everyone. My name is Dr Bree Di Mattina and it is my honour and privilege to say a few words to introduce Ex Libris (from the library of) Christina Lowry.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of speaking with Christina you’ll know that her enthusiasm is boundless and her ideas fast-paced. Her areas of interest are both contemporary and historical, ranging from taxidermy and Wunderkammer to the Anthropocene and extinct and endangered bird species. Her works are research driven and materially diverse, using photography, sculpture, conceptual art and, more recently, community collaborative processes.
The works you see in this exhibition are the culmination of multiple years of research and experimentation. From her initial interest in cabinets of curiosity and the human urge to collect and catalogue, Christina’s works evolved into explorations of museological practices and critiques of institutional methods of collection and display. As the role of museums change, rather than being displays of often-colonial era wealth, they are now sites for education and preservation. Her research-driven practice urges the democratization of museum collections, exploring new ideas such as scanning of specimens, file sharing and 3D printing, as well as non-remnant taxidermy, allowing previously static collections to be shared across the globe, reaching broader audiences and expanding education and conservation possibilities. Christina’s works posit a future for museums and galleries as agents for change and preservation, rather than dusty collections which hasten declines in endangered populations.
In this exhibition, Christina’s largest solo show thus far, she draws together multiple strands of her practice, marrying recognizable forms with new technology. In several of the works, A Longing for Wonder, Vigilans Avis, Conservatio and De Mortuarum Avium Bibliotheca, Christina imagines a world where the only remaining bird specimens are confined to vitrines and jars, removed from their natural environments and restricted from view. Yet she also offers hope for the future. The focal point of this exhibition, Ex Libris, has been a work of many months and many hands. In a series of workshops, drop-in sessions and residencies, Christina worked alongside members of the public to make models of bird skulls from porcelain. Unfired this white porcelain resembles the delicate bone of a bird skull. This collaborative act of making with the public also facilitated conversation and connection, resulting in the hundreds of bird skulls here tonight. The skulls remind us of the fragility of avian populations and the need for public education. In turn, visitors to this exhibition can now join in the collaborative process, by taking a skull in exchange for a $10 donation to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. These non-remnant reminders will then make their way into homes and collections, to continue the work of raising awareness of species decline. As the skulls disappear throughout the term of the exhibition, the gaps in the display serve as a further reminder of the crisis we face, the Anthropocene.
Thank you to everyone who has joined us tonight for the opening of this exciting and thought provoking exhibition and please join me in congratulating Christina Lowry.“
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the QLD Government and Logan City Council to support local arts and culture in Regional Queensland.