OPENING EVENT Wednesday 5 May from 6:00pm at ANCA Gallery. Free to attend, no bookings required.
In this exhibition Susan Banks and Thea Katauskas explore the overlooked life of the nature strip above and below ground. They note the invisible human interventions, energy and activity that maintain the life of our city, as well as the thriving nature that persists whilst being hemmed by roadways and built environments. The exhibition consists of paintings in oil and acrylic by two artists with different but complementary approaches.
The streetscapes of Canberra are changing – mature trees are now being removed and replaced to manage the city’s environmental assets, with the aim of establishing urban forests and aesthetically varied neighborhoods. The verge is the site of exciting activity underground, frequently swarmed by workers who engage with this unseen part of our city. When they leave, sporadic human activity and natural life continue unremarked.
Thea Katauskas' work in recent exhibitions has recorded aspects of architecture, planted environments and the heritage of Canberra's older suburbs. Her focus in 'On the Verge’ has shifted to investigate the vibrant life and importance of significant trees in our common spaces, and their role in defining the character of our city and neighborhoods. She is recording the treescape at a time of change, as both the exotic and indigenous plantings are reaching maturity at the same time and will need to be replaced.
Susan Banks has painted the workers - the NBN engineers, tree pruners, electrical, sanitation and infrastructure maintenance workers whose engagement above and below ground uses fascinating technologies that they will happily explain. A feature of her work recording this activity is the ever-present Hi Vis vest which, ironically, we overlook as we pass by.
In creating this exhibition, Banks and Katauskas have shared regular observations of life on the verge and maintained conversations about the quiet patterns of activity and energy that go unnoticed in our contemporary urban spaces.
Susan Banks