I have been collecting the rain. Well the sounds of the rain (the smells too, and the feeling of relief and safety that I for some reason associate with this weather – but these are less tangible).
I grew up in Victoria and South Australia where rain is welcomed if sometimes begrudgingly. In these thirsty places the plants unfurl and the roof of my house becomes a blanket with me snug beneath it.
Last year I undertook a residency in Cairns during the wet season and those heavy deluges, screaming down at me from hot, grey skies brought a whole new cast to my experiences. I have memories of rain so hard and dense that even under shelter you feel pinned to the spot from the violence of it. I remember: a creaking weatherboard house that felt like a reckless boat, the delight of warm rain, the terror of a cyclone, the feeling of giving in to uncontrollable weather (and the relief that brings).
I have used our soft, infrequent southern rain to make a deluge. I have collected for myself “a disaster”.
My sound installation work Handmade Disaster (deluge) is currently on show at Felt space, Adelaide. Yesterday my lovely sister (talented photographer Gianna Grbich) helped me to document the show. You can see more of her work below and here.
own story on the phone. We are using the old rotary phones that you might remember for the 60’s and 70’s, they will be sitting on a plinth and will ring ocasionally (encouraging people to pick them up!).
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