An artist is in the forest - in a Brisbane suburb.

 Susan Gourley 

Bio 

Currently living in Brisbane, Susan Gourley’s practice is a self-reflexive and interpretative response of belonging to a colonising culture. She is inspired by decolonising methodologies, ecofeminism, anthropogenic, and ecological discourse to address environmental issues and concerns. The recipient of a postgraduate scholarship, Susan has just been awarded a Doctor of Visual Arts at Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Brisbane. 

Artist Statement 

The work emerging from my new studio at Jugglers Art Space in Tarragindi is a continuation of my current practice which stems from an overwhelming urge to better understand the implications, and moral responsibility of what it means to be a woman belonging to a colonising culture. From this position, I seek to create artefacts that analyse Eurocentric and anthropocentric ideologies about nature, tracing them back to the eighteenth century invasion and colonisation of Australia. 

Drawing on decolonising methodologies, my intention is to question colonial history and to challenge dominant ideologies underpinning white Australian attitudes and practices towards the natural terrain, to initiate a rethinking of the relationship with nature. This means being open to new ways of thinking about the connection to land and self, initiated through the theoretical frameworks of ecological thought and ecofeminism. These theories highlight the different narratives and knowledge systems existing within Aboriginal and white Australian culture to reveal regenerative possibilities through dialogue and collaboration. 

My work employs the power of the innovative and visual metaphoric properties offered by salvaged materials (what some might call ‘rubbish’) utilising two contrasting techniques. The first involves drawing upon a junk aesthetic that rejects orderly for disorderly and elaborate for informal, defying the traditional and formal boundaries of sculpture by its inclusion of the heterogenous and disparate objects of modern living. 

The second involves incorporating the qualities of trompe l'oeil, which I use as a form of mimetic critique. 

Profile 

Prior to Jugglers Art Space, I had been looking for a studio in the Brisbane area for several months. In the meantime, I was struggling to create a decent body of work due to limited space offered by living in a shared house. Hence, when a studio became available at Jugglers in Tarragindi I didn’t hesitate to enquire and take it when offered. 

Nestled in a gorgeous pocket of bushland, this quiet location is an artist’s paradise. Only fifteen minutes from my home in Paddington, the drive to Tarragindi is super easy. Of the three studios available, mine has several windows that allow me to gaze out amongst the trees and listen to the sounds of the different birds that inhabit there. This tranquillity has provided me with a level of creativity and productivity not experienced in my practice before. There is also a sense of freedom that comes with having a space that is large enough to accommodate an array of resources and materials, as well as several finished and unfinished sculptural works, both big and small. 

As someone who enjoys the solitude of an artist’s life, I must admit it has been lovely being part of an arts community where I don’t feel totally isolated in my studio practice. The rent offered at Jugglers in Tarragindi has also meant that I have been able to work and spend quality time in the studio without feeling financially strained.