Giants of the South

TCA Annual Exhibition Dialogue 2024: Giants of the South

Tasmania’s coastline is home to one of the most biologically diverse marine environments on the planet. Among its most extraordinary natural wonders are the giant kelp forests — vast underwater ecosystems that provide shelter, food, and protection for countless marine species. These towering kelp canopies are vital to the health of our oceans, forming complex habitats that sustain a delicate balance of life.

Yet, this abundance is under threat. More than 95% of the giant kelp forests that once flourished along Tasmania’s East Coast have already disappeared due to the impacts of climate change. Rising ocean temperatures and altered marine conditions have devastated these once-dominant ecosystems, leaving fragile remnants of what was. Research and conservation efforts are ongoing, seeking ways to restore and protect these forests, but their future remains uncertain. What else will be lost if the kelp disappears entirely? How do we safeguard not only the kelp, but the intricate communities of species that depend upon them?

This vessel was hand-built in Keanes Lumina porcelain, its surface carefully hand painted in a painterly, watercolour style with stains, slip, chalk, and carving. Water etching and layered mark-making create texture and movement, echoing the ebb and flow of underwater forests and the gradual fading of their presence. The work speaks both to the resilience and the vulnerability of these ecosystems, embodying a sense of loss while calling attention to the urgency of preservation.

Through Giants of the South, I hope to invite reflection on the fragility of what remains, and the responsibility we carry to protect these vital marine landscapes for generations to come.