Performing the Abels (Frenchmans Cap), 2021

I am currently working on a series of participatory performances called Performing the Abels, in which I climb and perform on Tasmania’s Abel Mountains. The series seeks to address the gap between artistic representations of the landscape and the experience of being in these stunning environments. It is impossible to capture the sheer vastness of areas of the Tasmanian wilderness like the Southern Ranges, the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, or the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. I cannot convey the crisp air that catches at the back of my throat as I ascend Mount Jerusalem, nor the gentle rustling of pencil pines, or the trickle of water as it snakes its way from one alpine tarn to the next. It’s not enough to represent the landscape through mimetic means, but I can record my experience of being in the landscape as a temporary visitor and bring others along for the ride.

Fellow walkers are invited to direct and position me, as the performer, in relation to the surrounding landforms and natural features. As a consequence, attention is drawn to aspects of the mountain environment that often go unnoticed. While there is an element of play and novelty to the process, these moments of engagement often prompt more serious discussions about our place within these delicate landscapes. Every performance is led by not only the participants, but also the mountain, the weather and other external influences, resulting in new and exciting performances each time. Images taken by participants are later exhibited online, or occasionally in print within a gallery space.