They are a Bay is a future visual memoir of Nairm / Port Phillip Bay. It reflects on Nairm’s long life. From their youth, through the turbulence of industrialisation and climate change, to a future where they’ve been granted human rights and are loved and cared for as friend and kin of fellow humans, flourishing in harmony.
If elements of the environment are granted human rights or alternate legal rights that rigorously protect the health and safety of nature, how might this impact climate action and ecosystem well-being? Could this evoke expanding and deepening relationship to nature as a friend to care for, rather than as a resource to exploit?
They Are a Bay was presented at The Bridge Kingston Arts Centre in 2021-22.
Concept, animation and projection design by Caroline Packham
Choreography and dance by Stéphane Hisler
Additional dance by Minna Lappalainen
Music by Cold Hands Warm Heart, Metre 10, Noel Griffin, Nctrnm
Climate Spiral graphics by Ed Hawkins https://www.climate-lab-book.ac.uk/spirals/
Kindly supported by The City of Kingston and Kingston Arts Centre
Beginning at the start of the universe Human x Human explores the evolution of nature and society, sensing connection and change in the body and the power of collective human action.
Led by the amazing Dan Goronzsy - people were guided to express and process feelings and thoughts through movement and art. They experienced creative processes that investigate the spectrum of emotional responses to the here and now and how creating art can evoke new ways of thinking and being. They were invited to explore emotion in their body, experience synchronicity, imagine change and sense the power of collective action. The online participatory events were designed to suit all levels of experience in movement, improvisation and dance from beginners to experienced and all abilities, including the very active and those with limited movement.
ARTISTS
Caroline Packham - projection art
Stéphane Hisler and Emma Riches - choreography and dance for projection video art and workshops
Dan Goronszy - facilitation of online participatory live art events
Minna Lappalainen and Nick Wilson - performance for livestreamed projection dance events
Music - Cold Hands Warm Hearts, Grace Ferguson and from freemusicarchive.org Nctrnn, Podington Bear and Noel Griffin
PARTNERS
The City of Stonnington proudly supports Human x Human.
Initial creative development supported by the City of Melbourne COVID-19 Arts Grants and online adaptions supported by Creative Victoria.
Special thanks to Ai Learning Solutions and Atticus Media for their additional support.
Excerpts from livestream and projection videos
Anthropic Augmentation is a projection performance work exploring an imagined future memoir of the Birrarung/Yarra River
It is the year 2030 and Birrarung has been granted human rights to enhance their protection. Who are they and what has been their journey? If elements of the environment are granted human rights how might this impact environmental health and climate action? How might we reconsider rights and existence? What is Birrarung's story and how might we care for them?
Credits
Concept, animation, projection design: Caroline Packham
Projection performance: Minna Lappalainen, Nick Wilson, Lachlan Plain, Aidan Min, Erin Hall
Transcendent Postie: Shane Savage
Dancers: Andi Coventon (Skate Odyssey); TJ Riddell; Minna Lappalainen
Music/sound credits: Metre-10, Noel Griffin, Steve Combs, Podington Bear, Nctrnm, Soft and Furious, Lobo Loco, Nick Wilson
Photos by Minna Lappalainen and Ollie Clifton
Project Partners
This project was seeded by The City of Stonnington and initially developed for Glow Winter Arts Festival 2018.
An evolved site specific version also focusing on The Yarra River/Birrarung was presented at Art After Dark 2019, Hawthorn Arts Centre, kindly supported by The City of Booroondara.
Special thanks to Port Phillip EcoCentre and Auspen.
Creatures from an imagined future subterranean habitat altered through climate change, emerge into the landscape. They have evolved at a lightning rapid pace beyond the realms of natural evolution. Their morphing anatomical features enabling them to cope with a changing climate. How can looking at imaginary worlds influence the one we inhabit?
Concept, animation and projection design by Caroline Packham
Guitar by Lilith Lane, percussion by Minna Lappalainen
Projection performance by Minna Lappalainen
Presented at Gertrude Street Projection Festival 2017
Kindly supported by City of Yarra
Illuminate 2030 explores future climate change scenarios. Side by side, interacting, we see two different future worlds colliding: one where climate change is addressed, one where it is ignored.
Localised interpretations of Illuminate 2030 were presented at Glow Festival 2016, EcoArts Festival 2016 in partnership with the Port Phillip Ecocentre, Gertrude St Projection Festival 2016; Ballarat Laneways Festival 2016 and The Sustainable Living Festival 2018 in partnership with ArtPlay.
Paintings were created using up-cycled paper and paints made from clays, starch and edible pigments and were composted at the end of the project.
Credits
Animation: Caroline Packham
Creative producer: Sue McCauley
Video editing and soundscape: Michael Buckley, Caroline Packham
Music: Qua
Projection performance, imagery, workshops:
Lachlan Plain, Zoe Dawkins, Minna Lappalainen, Lilith Lane, Dan Nunan, Adam Grossetti, Tom Milton, Nick Wilson, Lachlan Plain, Michael Buckley.
Interactive projection drawing at ArtPlay for the Sustainable Living Festival 2018 by Sensory Empire and at Gertrude Street Projection Festival 2016 by Video Architecture.
Climate scenario advice & imagery:
ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science and Port Phillip EcoCentre
Documentation: Video by Michel Buckley, photography by Sabine Legrand
Project Partners
The project was seeded with support from City of Stonnington for Glow Winter Arts Festival 2016.
Localised interpretations were supported by City of Port Phillip and Port Phillip EcoCentre, ArtPlay and City of Melbourne, City of Yarra, Department of Health and Human Services, LiveWires and City of Ballarat.
Future Us is a projection performance that was created with children from Cubbies and LiveWires at the Atherton Gardens and Collingwood Housing Estates. The work embraces the notion that imagining the future, helps shape the future. The children explored their vision for the future and how they might get there. What do they desire for their communities, their environment, their education and their future careers? Children participated in a month long series of art workshops. Photo stories, paintings, collage, filmed movement, audio recordings and music that were created in the workshops formed the content for an animated projection work. The work was presented at Atherton Gardens and Collingwood Public Housing Estates and Emerge In Yarra 2016.
Future Us stills were prominent throughout Emerge in Yarra online and print marketing materials. Future Us was featured on ABC3 TV and ABC online.
Credits
Workshop facilitation and projection performance: Minna Lappalainen
Movement and artwork: Children from Cubbies and LiveWires
Projection design: Caroline Packham
Video camera and editing: Danielle Karalus
Photography: Louise Miller, Minna Lappalainen
Kindly supported by The Neighbourhood Justice Centre and Department of Health and Human Services.
Walk explores our connection to nature as a place for contemplation and movement.
Concept, animation and projection design by Caroline Packham.
Wildlife illustrations by Georgina Ross.
Video editing by Danielle Karalus and Caroline Packham.
Projection performance by Minna Lappalainen.
Photo and video documentation by Minna Lappalainen.
Initially presented at Pinpoint Public Art Program 2014 kindly supported by City of Banyule.
Subsequent localised interpretations presented at:
Ballarat Laneways Festival 2015 supported by City of Ballarat
Gertrude St Projection Festival 2015
Glow Winter Arts Festival 2015 supported by City of Stonnington
Concept and Projection by Video Architecture
House painters: Caroline Packham, Minna Lappalainen, Michael Buckley, Simeon Buckley.
