Art Destinations

We are in conversation with Lisa Garland, a photographic artist who has been documenting her community on the North-West Coast for more than 20 years. Lisa makes portraits of people so deeply connected to where they live that often the portrait of their place tells more about them than the people themselves. As a new generation is emerging and another passing, Lisa reflects on what she looks for in her subjects and how her focus is changing. In this episode we cover:  how Lisa’s photographic portraits of people and places are influenced by her upbringing and community, how Lisa’s early career as a newspaper photographer made her value her own personal projects, particularly portraits of her family and community members, documenting generational changes occuring in Lutruwita | Tasmania, particularly during residencies in Queenstown and King Island, how the intimate relationship between artist and subject comes through in her images and the extent the stories shared are conveyed through image and text, the changes in Tasmania's cultural and physical landscapes and the loss of traditional craftsmanship, her shift from portraiture to photographing symbolic spaces, and the value of storytelling and the significance of preserving the authenticity of her subjects and their environments.

We are in conversation with Pat Brassington, one of Australia’s most significant and influential artists. Over four decades, Brassington has captivated audiences with her ability to transform the familiar into the fantastical through her enigmatic photomontages.  This conversation is recorded as a radio play where a voice artist performs Brassington’s responses to my questions.   In this episode we cover: how Brassington’s childhood in Hobart has influenced her practice. At a young age, Brassington contracted polio. She was confined to her bedroom for six weeks and experienced a heightened feeling of isolation. This experience, in combination with catching tadpoles with her brother and playing in suburban backyards, sparked her artistic imagination. how Tasmania and the concept of isolation influenced her artistic imagination, Brassington’s exploration of contradictions, inspired by dialectics, surrealism and psychoanalysis, her use of distortion, symbolism, and the provocative use of pink, and insights into her lens-based practice, blending straight photography with manipulated images to evoke unsettling yet captivating emotions.  

Adam Thompson, a Pakana writer, sources much of the inspiration for his stories from his experiences working across the archipelago of Furneaux islands between lutruwita | Tasmania and mainland Australia. These islands are not only the backdrop for his dark moral tales but they also hold his family history. We talk about his work as a builder and ranger on Badger, Mount Chappell and Big Dog islands that inspired his collection of short stories Born Into This, as well as the TV series Moonbird to be screened on the SBS channel NITV in 2025. Adam shares his writing process and how he sees his role as a father imparting his cultural knowledge to his son.   I acknowledge, with deep respect, the traditional owners of Lutruwita (Tasmania) Aboriginal land, sea and waterways. For many years the Palawa people referred to this land as Palanwina Lurini Kanamaluka meaning ‘the town near river Tamar’. I respectfully acknowledge their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.

Ellen Dahl is a visual artist who grew up in the Arctic North of Norway and is now living and working on Gadigal Country in Sydney. Her expanded photographic practice questions whether the landscapes in lutruwita | Tasmania, and Svalbard, north of the Arctic Circle share something in common. Do these two places on the peripheries offer another way of understanding how we see and feel about the world?  Our conversation follows her winning the National Photography Prize 2024 with MAMA Albury, showing at the contemporary photography art fair Unseen Amsterdam and her current Oct/Nov 2024 show with Melbourne gallery, This is No Fantasy.

We are in conversation with Troy Ruffels, a photomedia artist drawing on the tradition of painting and drawing, to make works that are both immersive and atmospheric. Troy incorporates the elements of fire and water into his daily routine from pre-dawn ocean swims to evening fire pits, creating a discipline for his art practice. As a country boy growing up in Forth on Tasmania’s north-west coast, Troy’s career was launched at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Primavera exhibition for emerging artists in 1997. Since then he has continued his exploration of boundaries: through the mediums he uses or the poetic language to evoke the atmosphere of weather. Troy lectures at the University of Tasmania’s School of Creative Art, Inveresk and is represented by Bett Gallery in Hobart. You can see Troy’s work on our Instagram page @artdestinations.podcast. Troy would like to take a moment to correct an error he made during a recent conversation for Art Destinations. While discussing key individuals involved in the Digital Art Research Facility, he mistakenly referred to Mary Knights. The correct name is Mary Scott who was key participant in this research project. Troy is sorry for the oversight. Mary Scott was an invaluable part of this project, and he would like to ensure their contribution is fully recognised. He sincerely apologises for any confusion caused and appreciate your understanding.

Matthew Newton, an accomplished photojournalist and cinematographer, has spent 25 years capturing Tasmania's rich environmental landscapes. Matt discusses his unique career path, starting as a whitewater kayaker before delving into photography and filmmaking. He shares insights into his collaborative projects, including documenting Tasmania's wilderness and history, and how his work with writers, artists and conservationists has brought stories of the natural world to life.   We also explore major projects working with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and some of  the nation's leading artists on arts project The Skullbone Plains Experiment and with scientists on Albatross Island, highlighting how visual storytelling and partnerships have raised awareness about Tasmania’s hidden wonders.   Through his unique experiences, Matt reveals the transformative power of film and photography in promoting environmental conservation and bridging connections between people and places.

We are thinking about thinking with one of the world leading philosophers on place Jeff Malpas in Hobart. We question where and how one can do their best thinking, the roles of centre and periphery in the evolution of ideas, how the zeitgeist actually works, and the highly influential role our childhood has on how we think as adults.

In the first episode of Art Destinations Tasmania, we sit down with 28-year-old abstract artist Zoe Grey, whose work is profoundly influenced by her upbringing in the remote town of Marrawah on Tasmania's wild west coast. Working in the field of painting, as well as drawing, collage and ceramics, Zoe uses abstraction to portray the rugged rocks, fierce winds and booming swell on the northwest edge of Tasmania. Zoe shares her unique perspective on what it was like growing up surrounded by the powerful forces of nature, from the relentless Southern Ocean waves to the isolation of rural life. She discusses how surfing has not only been a way of life but also a crucial part of her identity, deeply intertwined with her art. We also explore her recent residency in Svalbard, near the Arctic, comparing the raw, rugged environments of Tasmania and the far north. Zoe’s work The Shape of Rock (2024) has just won one of the most lucrative art awards in Australia, the Hadley’s Art Prize, worth $100,000. The annual acquisitive art prize is awarded to the most outstanding portrayal of the Australian landscape. In an unusual twist of fate, Zoe won the Hadleys Packing Room prize only days earlier testifying the strength of the work. Zoe is being shown at Sydney Contemporary 2024 between 5 - 8 September by the James Makin Gallery and she is represented by Despard Gallery in Hobart.   On our Instagram page @artdestinations.podcast, you can see the prize winning work The Shape of Rock, other works and pictures of her childhood in Marrawah. In the first episode of Art Destinations Tasmania, we sit down with 28-year-old abstract artist Zoe Grey, whose work is profoundly influenced by her upbringing in the remote town of Marrawah on Tasmania's wild west coast. Working in the field of painting, as well as drawing, collage and ceramics, Zoe uses abstraction to portray the rugged rocks, fierce winds and booming swell on the northwest edge of Tasmania. Zoe shares her unique perspective on what it was like growing up surrounded by the powerful forces of nature, from the relentless Southern Ocean waves to the isolation of rural life. She discusses how surfing has not only been a way of life but also a crucial part of her identity, deeply intertwined with her art. We also explore her recent residency in Svalbard, near the Arctic, comparing the raw, rugged environments of Tasmania and the far north. Zoe’s work The Shape of Rock (2024) has just won one of the most lucrative art awards in Australia, the Hadley’s Art Prize, worth $100,000. The annual acquisitive art prize is awarded to the most outstanding portrayal of the Australian landscape. In an unusual twist of fate, Zoe won the Hadleys Packing Room prize only days earlier testifying the strength of the work. Zoe is being shown at Sydney Contemporary 2024 between 5 - 8 September by the James Makin Gallery and she is represented by Despard Gallery in Hobart.   On our Instagram page @artdestinations.podcast, you can see the prize winning work The Shape of Rock, other works and pictures of her childhood in Marrawah.

Lorenzo Barbasetti di Prun is a chef who challenges Italy’s culinary traditions by responding to climate change. Lorenzo trained in Fine Arts, at IUAV University of Venice, and is now pursuing gastronomy with a focus on foraging in diverse landscapes like London, the Dolomites, and the Venetian lagoon. In this last episode of the Venice season, Lorenzo discusses foraging's role in adapting to climate change by reintroducing edible, salt-loving plants to abandoned farmlands, as part of his project The Tidal Garden.   In this episode we cover: The Tidal Garden: Lorenzo's initiative with colleagues Filippo Grassi and Lodovica Guarnieri. It aims to revitalise saline soils by planting sea fennel and similar plants. Cultural Adaptation: Educating chefs and the public about these plants to reconnect them with their local landscapes. Tradition vs. Innovation: Lorenzo argues that rigid culinary traditions can stifle cultural and biological diversity. He emphasises the need for tradition to adapt and evolve. Personal Journey: Lorenzo's background in visual arts and gastronomy. His experiences foraging in the Dolomites, Australia, and London have shaped his approach to food and ecology. Challenges and Future Plans: Expanding the Tidal Garden project, increasing community involvement, and promoting sustainable agriculture in the Venetian lagoon and beyond.  

Photographic artist Davide Degano started to question what it means to be Italian while studying photography at The Hague. Davide started a project focusing on the people living in Friuli, where he grew up in  northern Italy, near the border of Slovenia. In the project 'Sclavanie' (2021), Davide started to investigate how people living in this border town see themselves and how they are perceived. The word sclavanie is a derogatory term for Italian people with Slovenian descent. His work expanded into the project 'Romanzo Meticcio' (2024) which means ‘mixed novel’ to look at what does it mean to be Italian against the backdrop of Italy’s fascist history. As someone who was born in Sicily, with Columbian and Slovenian grandparents, identity has always been multi-dimensional. His grandmother Olga was born in Slovenia. By the time she was 20, the same land had become Italy. One hundred and fifty years ago, Sicily was part of the Spanish Empire, and not long before that it was part of the Ottoman Empire. Through his work, Davide started to reflect on his ancestry what that means in a post-colonial world.

Nuvola Ravera examines how human emotions can influence the environment through her project, If I Cry A Lot, Will the Lagoon Become a Sea?' (2016). In this project, Nuvola collaborates with gestalt psychotherapist Laura Castellani to view Venice as a patient in a psychotherapy session. Nuvola uses 3D sculptures, frottages, and sound recordings to capture the essence of Venice, alongside the verbatim transcript between Laura, Nuvola and the city.   In this episode of Art Destinations, Sarah and Nuvola discuss the themes of collaboration, fluid boundaries, and site-specific work, emphasising the importance of listening as we move through the world. Nuvola shares her experiences working with various professionals and how these collaborations shape her artistic practice.

Carolina Mazzolari, an acclaimed Italian textile and video artist, honours the legacy of women who ran public laundries in the project Alone Together. Collaborating with Royal Ballet dancer and choreographer Kristen McNally and Royal Opera House senior costume manager Ilaria Martello, Carolina connects viewers to the invisible world of domestic labour through stunning video projections and tapestries on Venice's streets and in the Domus Civica Gallery, San Polo. Growing up as the youngest daughter of a Milanese perfumer, Carolina's art is deeply influenced by the magic of illusion and connection, to make her artwork a sensory experience. I met Carolina through Alfio Puglisi, co-producer of Art Destinations and director of the Sicily Art Residency Program, who helped bring this extraordinary exhibition, Alone Together, to Venice, in July last year.       In this episode we cover: how Alone Together uses dance, video and tapestry to share the story of the women who worked in public laundries in Venice’s rivulets, and in canals across Italy,   the video was projected onto sheets hanging in the streets of Venice, outside, as well as inside the Domus Civica Gallery, San Polo, Venice,   themes of collaboration and womanhood emphasise the collective power and energy generated when women work together,   the historical significance of washerwomen in Italy and their communal labour,   Carolina’s artistic journey from working in factories as a fashion designer to becoming an artist working with tapestry, embroidery, video, dance, and site-specific installations, and   Carolina’s personal influences growing up surrounded by women and being inspired by their stories and strength, and the influence of her father's work as a perfumer on her appreciation for illusion and sensory experiences in art.   BIOGRAPHY Carolina Mazzolari (b. 1981 Milan/London) uses psychoanalysis and intuition to reveal emotional experience. Her artistic practice spans textiles, printing, painting, photography, video, and performance. Carolina’s hand-embroidery and painted maps are characterised by distinctive silver-grey stitchwork that interacts with light, creating shifting depths and luminous illusions.  Each map exudes an intimate quality, as the artist has spent countless hours physically interacting with the fabrics. The resulting maps resemble mandalas, conveying love, hesitation, awe, and struggle through a personal language, alluding to deeper human motifs. Carolina collaborates with 'Fine Cell Work,' a UK-based registered charity that employs and rehabilitates long-sentenced inmates through embroidery, to create the largest hand-sewn works. Carolina's video and textile work are part of the permanent collection at MONA Museum in Tasmania, Australia, and have been featured in significant exhibitions. Carolina was born in Milan, Italy and currently lives with her family in London.

Join us as we dive into a fascinating conversation with Enrico, the mastermind behind Wetlands Books, a publishing house in Venice that is redefining storytelling. From commissioning African writers to exploring the intersection of theatre and books, Enrico shares his unique perspective on the cultural landscape of Venice. In this episode, we explore Enrico's vision for Wetlands Books, and the importance of addressing contemporary issues such as over-tourism and climate change through storytelling. We also delve into the Afterwords project, which invites African writers to reflect on Venice, and discuss the impact of theatre on audience engagement.

Mary Laheen was one of five creative directors of the Ireland pavilion exhibition, at the 18th Venice Architettura Biennale 2023, titled In Search of Hy-Brasil. In this episode, we discuss the significance of islands as we re-imagine the future. This idea is of particular interest to me as I continue my research, after completing my PhD on how the atmosphere of islandness can be conveyed through the photographic image. Mary and I met in Venice during the finissage period when Australia and Ireland co-hosted an event with Scotland, titled Wanderlands. It was during this period, we found synergies between each of our pavilions, with some shared experiences as island nations navigating our history of colonisation by the British Empire.   In this third episode we cover: the theme of islands that underlies the exhibition concept In Search of Hy-Brasil how the exhibition draws inspiration from the mythological island of Hy-Brasil and the islands off the coast of Ireland. what we can learn from islands, particularly in terms of the nature-culture dynamic and the resilience and creativity fostered by living in island communities. designing an exhibition that is an atmospheric or sensory experience rather than a more traditional explanation-driven style the role of mythology in understanding islands and the connections between isolation, belonging and creativity. the importance of decolonisation and decarbonisation in architectural practice and Mary’s interest in exploring new ways of building with sustainable materials and technologies parallels between island life in Ireland and Tasmania, highlighting shared experiences of living on the periphery and the creative freedom that comes with it, and reflections on future collaborations and the ongoing journey of exploring innovative approaches to architecture and design.

Cosimo Ferrigolo dissolves boundaries to challenge us to live in a more inclusive and inter-connected way. He speaks to us from his home-studio in Venice about how fluidity permeates his work. We met when I visited the Venice Biennale Architecturra last year. I was in Venice as one of five creative directors of the Australia Pavilion 2023 exhibition unsettling Queenstown.   In this episode we cover: how living in Venice takes on a political meaning how Cosimo’s passion for architectural spaces shifted his career from theatre set design to performance art as he was more interested in listening to abandoned spaces than creating a set in a blank canvas Cosimo’s involvement in Metaforte, the former Austrian naval fort turned artists live-in studio, in the Venezia lagoon blurring the boundaries on fact and fiction, the periphery’s relationship with the centre, and Cosimo’s shared feeling between his work and childhood   Biography Cosimo Ferrigolo is a theatre stage manager and performance artist who studied architecture and urban design. His interest in how artists work in urban spaces and the stories they reveal is influenced by his background in theatre set design and performance studies. He always works collaboratively and uses an interdisciplinary approach to dissolve the boundaries of how we experience the world, raising more questions than providing answers. Since 2021 he has been the stage manager for the OHT theatre company. In 2020 he co-founded BARdaDino, a shared studio and cultural space in Venice. Since 2017 he has collaborated with MetaForte Association, a cultural urban regeneration project through art and housing in Cavallino-Treporti VE, Italy.

Independent curator Alice Ongaro Sartori collaborates with artists across the archipelago in the Venetian lagoon to develop site specific projects that focus on how art, ecology and the public sphere intersect.    In this first episode we cover: TBA21s Ocean Space, an arts foundation advocating for ocean literacy through art. With an international focus, it has found its home in Venice, and tries to find a balance between the global and local by working with Veneto artists, alongside those further afield, examples of site-specific arts projects in the lagoon; such as The Garden of the Unaccompanied Children and the Floating Cinema (people came together in 300+ gondolas in the lagoon to watch films), the importance of collaboration in Alice’s practice and how she values female power, how fascist imagery from the 1960s and 70s can be seen in popular culture today, and new African fiction being published by Venice-based publisher wetlands. Whether you are interested in how artists and curators respond to the social, political and environmental tensions within a place, or you are fascinated by the beauty and mythology of Venice, this episode promises to reveal another layer of Venice that can only be experienced by immersing yourself in the lagoon. Tune in to hear how the islands in the Venezia lagoon influence the psyche and the artistic imagination.

Welcome to the first season of Art Destinations. Artists, curators and publishers reveal something special about Venice and the surrounding islands in the Venezia Lagoon.  In this introduction, we spend time sharing the connections between those interviewed, including: curator Alice Ongaro Sartori, performance artist Cosimo Ferrigolo, one of the 2023 Venice Biennale's Ireland Pavilion creative directors Mary Laheen, publisher Enrico Bettinello of Wetlands Books, and multi-disciplinary artists Nuvola Ravera and Carolina Mazzolari.  For show notes and transcripts, please go to artdestinations.org.