ON EXHIBITION @ The Centre Beaudesert

WATER WORLDS NADINE SCHMOLL an otherworldly experience of light and colour 2 APRIL -  4 JUNE 2022 OPENING   Saturday 2 April, 10.30am for 11am Guest speakers: Dr Paula Payne and Nadine Schmoll RSVP   FREE but registration essential.  5540 5050 | WHERE   The Centre Beaudesert, 82 Brisbane Street, Beaudesert Entry requirements via Check-in Qld QR Code and proof of full vaccination. HOURS: Tues-Fri 10am-4pm; Sat 10am-2pm.  Closed public holidays and Easter weekend.

Water Worlds explores the impact of plastic waste and climate change on our marine environment and invites audiences to immerse themselves in an underwater world. The exhibition presents plastic through the mediums of photography, sculpture and augmented reality, evoking beauty and the fragile translucence of glass. Plastic waste is heat-formed and sculpted into organic forms reminiscent of corals, jellyfish and sea urchins.

An otherworldly experience of light and colour, the exhibition is a deep dive under the water’s surface to reflect on the interconnections between humans and our marine environment. Artworks draw on the eight months Nadine spent living and working on Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef.

"I am interested in the relationships in closely integrated ecosystems, particularly those that are co-operative or symbiotic, and what these can teach us in fostering connections and partnerships between humans and the natural world that are mutualistic - wherein both members benefit from the association. Nature is the real teacher. 

"The act of observing nature, of paying attention, can illuminate possibilities towards building resilience, sustainability and strengthening the connections between ourselves and our planet, where people are part of nature, not in the center or outside of it. The Great Barrier Reef is a barometer for the well-being of our planet. It is one of the first major ecosystems to suffer the effects of climate change and is a true indicator of the current state of the world. Scientists forecast that, by 2025, there will be around 15.7 billion items of plastic waste in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Single-use plastics are used for minutes but last for centuries, infiltrating our lives so much they have been found in the Antarctic and at the bottom of the sea. Plastic pollution can also increase the risk of diseases in corals from four to 89 percent. The photographic series Microbes Floating in a Sea, explores this impact on a micro level.

“Despite all these challenges, nature continually demonstrates its resilience and capacity to overcome if given the opportunity, if we pay attention with care and respect. The installation, Coral Fluorescence, explores a remarkable adaptation to climate change, as translucent coral polyps shine with fluorescence at night, a phenomenon some corals exhibit as a natural sunscreen to protect themselves from rising sea temperatures. Imagine the possibilities if we collaborate in mutual partnership with nature to ensure a brighter future for us all."  More info Nadine Schmoll 

Also on show is Landskins exhibition by Dr Paula Payne.   
 

TWO PERSPECTIVES ART MASTERCLASS 
Nadine and Paula will also be facilitating two immersive masterclasses on 14 May 2022 at The Centre Beaudesert. Bookings essential as places are limited. More info and tickets 

ESCAPE IN THE SCENIC RIM This exhibition and masterclass also feature in the Escape in the Scenic Rim festival in May.