Siteworks: From a Deep Valley: Bundanon’s Season 3 Opening Soon

Bundanon’s Season 3 program, Siteworks: From a deep valley, opens to the public from 26 November 2022 until 12 March 2023.

In Dharawal the word Bundanon means deep valley. With more than a decade-long history at Bundanon, Siteworks will see the work of over 25 artists and 10 scientific researchers drawing on climate research, critical thinking, First Nations knowledge and technologies and creative digital spaces, with a major exhibition and expanded program of outdoor installations, performances, workshops, and digital artworks.

Siteworks: From a deep valley sees the opportunity to engage in unique cultural experiences embedded within the landscape of the South Coast; alongside the major exhibition, Inside, underground, in the Art Museum, visitors can learn from local Indigenous knowledge holders, hear an ethereal new composition by Nick Wales inspired by Bundanon’s natural surrounds, take a walking tour of endangered flora and fauna with artist Fernando do Campo, explore the World Weather Network’s digital platform of artists responding to the climate crisis, participate in a natural dyeing machine on the edge of the Shoalhaven River with artist Rebecca Mayo, hear from Professor Mark Howden on navigating climate change, and more.

During January 2023, Siteworks: From a deep valley will be a key regional destination for Sydney
Festival. Over two weekends: 14-15 and 28-29 January 2023, Bundanon’s 1000-hectare wildlife sanctuary will become a hive of activity with drop-in workshops, talks and experimental performances.

As part of the Siteworks Weekends, Bundanon offers the opportunity for visitors to stay overnight in the eco-friendly Bridge accommodation. The package includes a guided foraging walk with wild food expert Diego Bonetto, a 3-course chef’s table dinner with local wines and beers, and a morning yoga class in the landscape.

“For Siteworks we invite the public to engage and participate in an expansive program focussed on the imperative issues of our time, with over 35 artists and scientific researchers presented across Bundanon. Earlier this year, Bundanon’s Art Museum and Bridge for Creative Learning was awarded the highest accolade for public architecture in NSW, and for this Season we are delighted to offer unique overnight experiences for the public to stay on site.”—Rachel Kent, CEO

MORE ABOUT SITEWORKS: FROM A DEEP VALLEY

Siteworks: From a deep valley will present a major new exhibition in the Art Museum, titled Inside, underground exploring the concept of interior weather. Responding to the architecture of the Art Museum, five Australian artists will investigate the complex relationship between body and site using repurposed natural materials such as plant and animal matter, beeswax, oyster shells and algae.

Raw physical materials will become containers of environmental and sensorial data informed by the artists’ personal encounters with Bundanon, generating new forms of material knowledge that reflect our changing relationship with the natural world.

The artists in Inside, underground include Carolyn Eskdale, Susan Jacobs, Kate Scardifield, Lucy Simpson, and Isadora Vaughan. The Art Museum will present the outcome of the Possum Skin Cloak Project and residency undertaken by Leanne Bovington, Teagan Brown, Bee Cruse, Gulwanyang Moran, Bess Moylan, Carol Moylan, Aunty Loretta Parsley, Joyce Saunders and Kirli Saunders, on display for the first time.

Across four key weekends over summer Siteworks: From a deep valley will present a curated series of events that position the artist as a kind of weather balloon, capturing ‘weather reports’ from this place and time.

The weekends will include a range of creative workshops using natural materials, for all age groups, outdoor performances by Fernando do Campo and Bianca Hester, a laboratorium space for talks by artists and leading scientists, as well as a host of participatory activities for audiences.

Outdoor projects include Dark/Quiet by Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphries, a new sound composition by musician Nick Wales, works in the natural landscape by Rebecca Mayo and Erica Seccombe (part of The Tellus Project collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Herbarium and UNSW Art & Design), and a performance of new songs created in residence by Local Music, as well as a small ritual event conceived of by artist Katie Paterson.

A core element of Siteworks: From a deep valley is Bundanon’s participation in the digital project, the World Weather Network, a ground-breaking new global alliance of artists, writers and communities initiated by the UK-based arts organisation, Artangel.

Created in response to the climate emergency, the World Weather Network is a constellation of weather stations set up by 28 arts agencies around the world, inviting audiences to look, listen, learn, and act, of which Bundanon is the only Australian representative.

More information.