KATE ROBERTSON
THE COSMIC WALK AND OTHER LEARNING’S
The Cosmic Walk and Other Learning’s explores experiential learning and focuses on the understanding of the Deep Ecology philosophy. Deep Ecology observes that psychological and spiritual disarray can be contributed to the ‘illusion of separation’ between humans and the rest of the natural world. This concept is seen as a fundamental underlying issue of the current environmental crisis.
In June 2013, I attended a Deep Ecology Workshop facilitated by John Seed (writer, teacher, environmentalist and OAM) and became a participant-observer of deep ecology processes and healing ways. From my experiences at this workshop, I have developed a series of unique photograms to document the sensory modes of understandings I was exposed to.
Photograms are made by placing objects onto the surface of light-sensitive paper and then exposing to light. Solarisation is a photographic practice in which the image is completely or in part reversed in tone during the developing process.
Workshop tools and concepts such as string, leaves, dirt from the earth and the circle shape are utilised to create the photograms. The artwork titles are workshop names or healing concepts, such as The Cosmic Walk, Circle Work and Breathing with Trees.
My work is an inquiry into the photographic potential of working within the ‘between space’ linking contemporary art and ethnography, in order to record the energetic emanation connected with experiential learning in healing communities.
BIOGRAPHY
Kate Robertson lives and works in Melbourne, and is represented by Edmund Pearce gallery. Recent exhibitions include This Has Been, c3 Contemporary (2013); White Balance, Edmund Pearce (2013); Crème, RMIT School of Art Galleries (2012); and Explorations of an Other Space, Techno Park Studios (2011). Kate has also exhibited at Te Tuhi Gallery in Auckland, New Zealand, and Melbourne galleries Kings ARI, TCB Art Inc, Blindside and VCA Margaret Lawrence Gallery. Her work has appeared in the journal Unless You Will and as part of Australian Week for LENSCRATCH. Kate received a Master of Art – Fine Arts from RMIT University in 2012 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2006. To view more of Kate’s work please visit her website: www.kate-robertson.com