SPELL

A pause for wonder of the surrounding natural phenomena, such as water becoming steam with rising and cooling temperatures, while emphasising materiality through the senses with a pile of mulch exhaling a natural scented vapour of eucalyptus which acts as animated presence.

Artist, Marta Ferracin, activating the eucalyptus scented vaporisers positioned below the early morning steam's video filmed at the Lane Cove river (detail)

Spell exhibition’s video including a pile of mulch made of mulch and eucalyptus leaves exhaling vapour and the two early morning steam videos (extract)

Early morning steam's videos filmed at the Lane Cove river at Lane Cove National Park (extract)

Bioart multimedia installation

Spell (2017), emphasises materiality through the senses. A pile of mulch exhales a natural scented vapour of eucalyptus which acts as an animated presence.

Spell is a pause for wonder: wonder of the surrounding natural phenomena, such as water becoming steam with rising and cooling temperatures.

Within a cultural context, Spell also acknowledges several Indigenous cultures which have maintained direct contact and exchange with the environment.

Particularly, the Aboriginal Australians and native Amazonians who perform smoke rituals to welcome visitors to their land and to cleanse and purify the environment of negative energies.

While in the North-East of Italy, the area where Ferracin is from, farmers use smoke to interpret the harvest season ahead.

The video creates an ephemeral mood by portraying steam exhaling from Lane Cove river.

Artwork details

    
            Artwork
            Spell (2017)
        
            Material
            shade cloth, mulch, eucalyptus and lemon myrtle leaves, steamers and oil diffusers, two single channel videos 
        
            Dimensions
            Variable – gallery room 1
        
            Duration video
             each video 5:00 mins (loop) 
        
            Exhibition
            
            Marta Ferracin: Spell
            
            SCA Galleries, Sydney College of the Arts, The University of Sydney,  Lilyfield, NSW, AU
            
            9 August - 9 September

Credits

Photos
Corey Rankin; Christopher Verheyden; courtesy of the visitor

Provision of SCA galleries
Sydney College of the Arts - University of Sydney

Installation assistant Christopher Verheyden