2017
Polyester Embroidery thread
Dimensions variable, 400+ individual embroideries pinned to the wall (shown install size 135cm diameter circle)
Designed for the 3rd Tamworth Textile Triennial ‘Open House’
Artist statement:
Coral reefs are under stress due to rising sea temperatures.
It has been predicted that 90% of the world’s coral will be dead by 2050.
In the face of this devastating statistic I cant help but wonder what the world will be like without coral reefs. What will these beautiful, fascinating and important ecosystems look like after climate change has destroyed the majority of them? Will they become barren wastelands or will the reefs evolve into a new kind of ecosystem, with new dominant species? While many species will perish under the impending harsh conditions there will always be those that are able to adapt, survive and even thrive in the face of change.
‘The New Neighbours’ explores a possibility of what the transformed reefs could look like after secondary colonisers have moved in. The embroidered forms that make up the installation are inspired by a red Discosoma species, from the order Corallimorpharia. Colonies of Corallimorphs have been known to rapidly cover empty spaces in a reef, like a living carpet over coral rubble. Species from this order are hardy, fast growing organisms that are resistant to pollution, water acidity and temperature changes, making them potential survivors of the impending reef destruction.