Atrophy 1, 2 & 3

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Background: This project applied a mobile research methodology with a literature review of ethnographic research into contemporary merchant seafarers to investigate the conditions and labour-relations onboard 21st century merchant containerships. George argues that despite the proliferation of shipping as the cornerstone of late capitalism, ships, and the sailors on them, have become increasingly invisible. The destruction of trade unions, the movement of ports to the ‘edgeland’ of cities and the use of international sailors have all contributed to our ‘sea blindness’ (p.4). Artist and essayist Sekula, who developed the photo essay Fish Story, made similar observations -calling the ocean, ports and the people who work in those environments ‘the forgotten space’. As an island continent, the ship is our primary connection to global economics and everyday consumer products, making the labour conditions of seafarers an important national conversation.

Contribution: ‘Atrophy 1, 2 & 3 (rust details from ANL Wahroonga)’ was created as I steamed from Australia to China on the ANL Wahroonga containership. Constructed using 21 cotton colours and 47,520 stitches, the three cross-stitches that make up the work took 700 hours to create and depict three sections of rust from the ship. In the time the work took to be created, the Wahroonga had boomeranged back and forth between Australia and China three times, the crew toiling over the atrophy of the vessel the whole time. In labouring over a section of rust for so long, and with such attention to detail, the research revealed the symbiotic relationship between man, machine, time and the elements.

Significance: This project was shortlisted for the Darebin Art Prize for Excellence in Contemporary Visual Art, 2019 and exhibited at the Bundoora Homestead. It was also shortlisted for the Mission to Seafarers Maritime Art Prize, 2020.

* George, R, Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible industry that brings you 90% of Everything
* Sekula, A, Fish Story