This year we celebrated National Science Week at the Science Week Anti-conference, an event which showcased local innovation and STEM taking place in WA! We invited the talented Barbara Bynder, a Consultant and Anthropologist from Karrda to capture the conversations in art form. Below is the beautiful artwork created from the day.
Artwork Synopsis from Barb
Colours
The background colour for the artwork is based on the deep ocean but also includes the idea of land, sea, sky, therefore I went with a lighter coloured blue. The yellows represent the drone session because the drones lit up. The brown and pinkish colours are representative of plastic that has made it to the bottom of the deep ocean. There are three planets that I gave a different colour to so that you can distinguish that they belong to each other but are planets. The background silver lines are representation of Noongar boodjar. The greens represent the symbol for DNA.
Barb’s Interpretation of the Afternoon Sessions
Barbara Bynder, Artist, was invited to participate in an observational methodology that allowed for the idea of translating the key messages from the afternoon sessions for the Anti-Conference WA Science Week 2023. The aim of the observational method was to translate key messages from the sessions.
The sessions attended were Exploring Ocean Depths, Drones, Coding and AI, Finding Aliens, and Love. The sessions took place at Hackett Hall, Boola Bardip (WAM). There was a common theme throughout the sessions that being the connections between elements in each individual session. Understanding the significance of all things are connected one to the other i.e., connection to country, I linked to the key messages to the concept of connection to country from an Indigenous perspective. Although this sounds a little complicated the idea is that all things are connected each to the other and although there were difference discourses and exchange of information throughout the afternoon the common message in all the sessions is the idea of connection, one element to the other. Connection also tells the story of how we separate discourses to help understand different elements of life in different ways and to engage in deeper understanding of the discourses that were put forward, the significance of connection came through strongly.
Although there is connection there is also separation therefore the artwork is layered. The layering is designed to demonstrate connection yet maintains autonomy with separate discourses being visible.
The one thing that I did want to acknowledge is the DNA strand. The DNA strand for me says it all, all living things have a DNA and has a signature that leaves a legacy as it evolves. Therefore, the DNA strand is quite strong in the artwork because it symbolizes our unique yet shared connection to each other and to all living things. The sessions are a good example of Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, and being and demonstrates the notion of all things being connected to each other therefore we are one. The most powerful key message here is that we must show RESPECT for all living things because we are one with country i.e., land, seas, skies.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my thoughts about the sessions and to participate in the translation of the conversations that were being delivered.
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