This article touches on the power of participatory art —a concept central to my own art installations. “The Floating Exchange" an ongoing conceptual project which I started in 2014 invites audience interactions to transform the piece, adding layers of meaning beyond my original design.
Hundreds of tiny handmade porcelain fish shimmer in "The Floating Exchange" —one of my most exciting long-time projects. Created as an interactive component for my solo exhibition, Itadakimasu (2014), this installation explores how our individual actions can collectively transform the natural world - for better or worse. The title "The Floating Exchange" plays on the concept of currency and suggests that money is not the only currency at stake in the pursuit of success or growth in life.
Each porcelain an fish was hand-cast over a three-month residency in Jingdezhen, China. My journey to the historical porcelain village was a chance to learn traditional painting on porcelain ceramic & slip-casting techniques, in the same place where Ai Weiwei.crafted his inspiring "The Unilever Series" for the Tate Moderm.
The installation is a bamboo ship hull adorned with glittering porcelain fish, each suspended by a silken antique thread. At first this pristine work breathed with life. It was entrancing, gently swaying in response to any movement from the audience and they drifted in. The glazed surface of the fish caught and shifted in the light, like a natural murmuration. It was so peaceful. After the exhibition was formally opened, the room full, the audience were invited to take a fish, tying something in return—personalizing the piece in ways I could never predict or control. The atmosphere was joyful and a little frenzied! I felt excited and a little trepidation to see what this beautiful object would become as a result of the exchange.
Some came prepared with offerings; others reached for items on hand, rummaging in pockets and handbags. Together, these tokens transformed "The Floating Exchange" into a collective story of place and time - an ephemeral time stamp. This act of exchange was a reflection of our relationship with nature: each taking and giving back, shaping our world through the cumulative.
This art experience symbolizes how individual choices can leave an impact, whether small or profound, and how these actions form a collective narrative that has lasting effects on our environment. It’s a reminder of the delicate balance between what we take and what we leave.
This installation is the first iteration in what I intend to become ongoing International experience that gathers force and collects ephemera from around the world - touching hearts and minds in a collective global experience. Although "The Floating Exchange" launched 10 years ago, there will come a time for this work to continue. My plan for this work it to have iterations of this experience travel the world with the final exhibition culminating with the collection of ephemera - a world wide global footprint and shared experience. My dream is for this final iteration to become part of The Asia Pacific Triennial - a seminal exhibition that happens every three years right here on my doorstep at QAGOMA (Queensland Gallery of Modern Art).