Robert Andrew
Country, Land, Soil, Time and Space

Our lands and soil commodified, owned,  colonised.

By investigating issues of disruptions to my heritage, I intrinsically connect with the realities of historic and ongoing disrespect for the diverse ecology of our lands and soils.

This time based kinetic work combines programmable technological machinery that erodes soils, exposes substrates, builds stories and creates residues.

Over the course of the exhibition the stratification of local soils, unnaturally placed in a vertical column, is eroded or re-placed as its restrictive binding is slowly pulled out, releasing the layers of different soil structures back to a natural form. This repositions the displaced, previously stratified layers of soils to create a new landscape on the horizontal surface below.

Over a period of weeks, this soil-based, interactive, kinetic work will create a ‘landscape’ that metaphorically addresses the creation and destruction of soils on which we are dependent for life, and invites contemplation and questioning.

By using new and old knowledge systems about our soil, we gain a symbiotic relationship with the soil that sustains us physically, culturally and spiritually, and maintains our individual and community histories, health and perpetuity within its biology.

The artist acknowledges the support from: Soil Science Australia