Painted River Project: Blue Mountains Rare Upland Swamps
The Painted River Project is an art, science and cultural initiative that creates space for diverse community members to share knowledge and build understanding of how we live with the natural world. It aims to nurture transformative thinking and collective action around one of Australia’s most contested topics – water.
Given that Western Sydney is Australia’s third largest economy and one of the country’s fastest growing regions, water and the environment must be central to all future planning and development in region. Water and our river systems are the foundation of healthy cities and human well-being. The Painted River Project highlights the importance healthy water catchments and rivers have for the future of the region and communicates this message through creative community interactions at selected sites.
Painted River Project: Blue Mountains Rare Upland Swamps explores the swamps of Greater Blue Mountains UNESCO World Heritage Area in particular the Leura Swamp and Garguree (The Gully), Katoomba. These swamps play a vital part in maintaining the water flows in the creeks and waterfalls in the Blue Mountains, by storing water and slowly releasing it over time. The Swamps also act as filters, purifying water prior to the release into creeks, whilst also providing vital habitat for threatened plant, insects, and animal species.
Exhibiting artists: Lucy Culliton, Chris O’Doherty (Reg Mombassa), Euan Macleod, Adrienne Richards, Leo Robba with Gundungurra artist Kelsie King.
Western Sydney University team: water scientist Associate Professor Dr Ian Wright, digital artists Dr Greg Hughes and Matthew Lahoud; and University photographer Sally Tsoutas.
Gundungurra traditional custodian: David King
The Painted River Project is a planetary health initiative devised by Dr Leo Robba from Western Sydney University School of Humanities Communication Arts and Professor Tony Capon from Monash University in partnership with Associate Professor Ian Wright from Western Sydney University School of Science.
This exhibition is co-curated by Dr Leo Robba and Margaret Hancock
This exhibition is a joint project with the University Gallery, Newcastle University.
