PROFILING CDU ARTISTS: MEGAN ADAMS
My journey through Studio 2 this semester has been a blast, full of challenges and exciting new experiences. This journey has included my first public art display titled ‘Lest We Forget’, made possible through CDU and Darwin City Council. The semester started with Sarah Pirrie standing at the front of the room explaining this new commission provided by Darwin City Council, where we needed to create an image, either digitally or traditionally, to represent Darwin’s history and harbour. After two failed attempts where Sarah said, without actually saying “I hate it, start again, and present next week with a higher standard, research, and passion”, I dug deep and looked more into the ships that were first attacked during World War II. After many technical difficulties, help from IT, Jane Anderson, and teachers that don’t even teach art (they just felt sorry for me with all the problems I was having) I prepared my class speech and nailed it. After being selected for the exhibition I quickly proceeded to undertake the daunting task of advertising the exhibition launch held at The Hub – Live Darwin. And after the 24th version Sarah finally approved it. Considering the first comment was “um we might want to avoid looking like an optometrist advertisement, but keep trying, you are doing great” I, was happy. I completed the advertisement to her liking. Later on, I worked out I put in 24 hours into that advertisement in a week.
Overall, I’m so proud of the six CDU students that worked hard and presented beautiful, meaningful work, now displayed in lightboxes located around Darwin. This opportunity given by Darwin City Council is a privilege that the students at CDU appreciate greatly. It is not often we have the chance to exhibit our work to the public. You get the feeling that someone is trying to help out the little guys, and that is very rare in the art world, so thank you.
Catchlight features artwork by CDU students Luci Lee, Di O'Neill, Jane Anderson, Ally Peckett, Pavlina Mellios, and Megan Adams. The works resonate with place, and the pasts, presents and futures of Darwin.
The lightboxes are located in three sites across Darwin:
• The Mall in the city centre hosts two double-sided lightboxes at each end; • Chinatown Car Park hosts three single-sided lightboxes; • Nightcliff Pool hosts three single-sided lightboxes.
Artist: Jane Anderson Title: Nightcliff Dystopia: Into the Blue Location: Nightcliff Pool
...Imagine Nightcliff in the year 2080. Pollution and climate change have left the iconic Nightcliff Jetty in ruins. The ocean has been suffocating from our plastic obsession despite earlier attempts to ban single-use plastic. Nightcliff Dystopia invites you to reflect upon this dismal future and envisage actions to prevent its occurrence. This work pursues our public debate about plastic pollution of our marine environment and brings it home to the Top End...
Jane-Louise Anderson is a visual artist best known for her experimentations in printmaking and cyanotype exposures. She employs fabrics and textiles as matrixes to produce creative works. She works with feminine forms and themes exploring the female psyche of memory. Follow Jane-Louise on Instagram @jane_luoise_anderson
Artist: Di O’Neill Title: Bougainvillea Grand Parade, Darwin 1979 Location: The Mall
The Bougainvillea Festival, established in 1979, was born from the determination to rebuild Darwin community, after the devastation of Cyclone Tracy in 1974. It was a colourful, floral festival, intent on bringing together the fractured community of Darwin. Locals revelled in the opportunity to celebrate the undiminished spirit of their city and have fun.
The Bougainvillea Grand Parade was one of several festival events held annually, enjoyed by participants and spectators alike, as it meandered through the CBD beneath clear, dry season skies. To depict the original Grand Parade with authenticity, I have referenced a photo from the Gaynor Lovett Collection, held by the Northern Territory Library: http://www.territorystories.nt.gov.au/jspui/handle/10070/6334
Dianne O’Neill is a CDU visual arts student interested in painting which incorporates both printmaking techniques and drawing skills. Social and environmental issues are her typical subject matter and style varies between illustration and abstraction.
Artist: Megan Adams Title: Lest We Forget Location: China Town Car Park
The raining number of soldiers mingle with the ash cloud. Erasure of identity now a statistical number of War. Halted in time; we remember and appreciate the sacrifices made.
Megan Adams is an artist studying a Bachelor of Creative Arts, Visual Arts at Charles Darwin University. Her work focuses on Australians who inspire and help others.
