Wulgurukaba & Bindal Country (Townsville)
Preserve/Conserve – Invocation #3: Openness – Going with the Flow
Jill Chism
'As individuals and at all levels of government we can make it a top priority to observe, appreciate and preserve the eco-systems we already have.'
Preserve/Conserve – Invocation #3: Openness – Going with the Flow offers perspectives on human behaviour and attitudes, and the importance of the preservation of marine life and their habitats. Performed over an eight-day period, Jill will move with the tides on Old Jetty (Remains) beach in Pallarenda, printing words in salt directly to the sand when the tide withdraws to its furthest point only to be washed away once the water returns to shore.
Split into two parts, Jill will first perform ‘Openness – Going with the Flow’ which has a double-edged meaning that primarily comes from observing marine creatures, especially dugongs and turtles whose habitats abound within the seagrass meadows off the strand and Townsville port area, and within the Cleveland Bay, Magnetic Island.
Following and during the COVID pandemic shutdowns we were all expected to ‘go with the flow’ whilst becoming more ‘open’ to the myriad of changes experienced within Australia and each of the states. These marine animals embody those characteristics. The other provocation is linked to the preservation of these significant marine animals and their habitats, particularly in a time of ecological degradation. The ephemerality of lasting time in these areas seems limited which draws the direct attention toward the current eco-diverse problems of this area particularly the declining Great Barrier Reef by ‘Giving more Time’, a task which Jill says is ‘both an individual and collective one.’...‘It is imperative that we listen and act.’
The overall work, with its repeated words, also refers to chants and mandalas – an ephemeral way of invoking change right now – in the current moment, reflected in the fact that the work is created repeatedly at a particular time of day according to the tides until the sea washes the work away. These are the words that will be printed during the performances:
Work #1: Preserve Conserve: Dugongs, Sea Grass, Flat Back and Green Turtles, Dolphin Whale and Shark.
Work #2: Preserve Conserve: Acceptance Going slow, Openness, Going with the flow
Feature Image/Video Credits: Jill Chism performing.
About the Artist
Jill Chism is a professional, highly regarded North Queensland artist with an extensive CV. Working between various art forms including environmental art, installation, sculpture, digital art and public art. Her work spans diverse materials and processes, from photography to sculptural processes.
Jill’s personal experiences have led to an appreciation for the great mystery of life, the preciousness of the present moment and the understanding that we are just a small expression of a greater consciousness. Her work and thematic enquiry revolves around questions about who we are, how we interact with each other and our relationship to the natural environment and the cosmos.
Creating artworks at the water’s edge has been a constant theme in Jill’s public art and environmental art practice. Significantly seven of her completed public art projects since 2011 have revolved around the theme of water or been located at the Waters’ Edge. She is currently curator of an Environmental art festival for Port Douglas and Mossman ‘Call of the Running Tide’. www.calloftherunningtide.com.au
Event Information
Location Details
Performances will be held just off the entrance of the Shelly Cove Trail, on the Old Jetty (Remains) beach in Cape Pallarenda. You will be able to observe from the beach whilst Jill performs and prints with salt onto the sand. Performances will be scheduled in accordance to the tides, please review the scheduled times below.
Scheduled Performance Times
SUNDAY 1ST 11.30 – 1.30 PM
MONDAY 2ND 12 – 2 PM
TUESDAY 3RD 12.30 – 2.30 PM
WEDNESDAY 4TH 1 – 3 PM
THURSDAY 5TH 1.30 – 3.30 PM
FRIDAY 6TH 2 – 4 PM
SAT 7TH 2 – 4 PM
SUN 8TH 2.30 – 4.30 PM
Artist Talk
Jill will have an artist talk on Saturday 7th of August where you will get the chance to make the salt prints on the sand from 3PM.
Venue Accessibility
If you are driving, this site is best accessed from The Esplanade into Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park. There is free parking available at the end of the road in the Conservation Park, and the Shelly Cove Trail is accessible from the parking area.
As advised by the Queensland Government, this walking track is suitable for most ages and fitness levels. The track has slight short steep hill sections and a rough surface to walk on that leads to soft sand on the beach. The trail provides access to the beach at Shelly Cove on the northern side of the Cape Pallarenda headland.
If you are walking to this site, you can access through walking trails along The Esplanade and into the Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park, or alternatively you can also walk along Pallarenda beach as this connects around to the site where Jill will be performing.
This venue’s conditions include:
- Nearby accessible parking.
- Nearby accessible public transport (bus stations).
- Nearby street drop-off points.
- Not wheelchair accessible.
- Signage indicating it is a PUNQ program.
- Venue is close to accessible public bathroom facilities that offer wider doors, adequate floor space to move around in the bathroom, and fixtures designed for comfort including hand railings and low-effort tap handles.
- Quiet spaces available for participants, this location will have ambient or no music playing.
- Stay on marked trails and formed roads to prevent damage to native vegetation, the spread of weed seeds and erosion.
- Keep tracks in good condition and limit erosion by not riding during or immediately after wet weather.
- Rubbish facilities are not provided in the park. Please take all your rubbish with you.
- This is not a pet friendly location. Domestic animals are not permitted in the park.
- Please do not disturb the wild animals of this location and do not feed them.
Pricing
This is a free and on-going event during the festival.
