Turning the pages

Turning the Pages is a marriage of environment, community, art and science. The project focuses on raising awareness and appreciation for the Pages River in the Upper Hunter Valley. The long term aim is to create a nature walk with a permanent artwork along the river thereby raising awareness and understanding of its vital role, and supporting the river restoration and rehabilitation process.

The first stage of this project was undertaken in 2007. Based in the Upper Hunter  a team of artists and volunteers worked with school children to explore the importance and nature of the river through stories and workshops, writing, drawing, soundscapes and eventually by making a series of artworks that interpreted the ‘inhabitants’ of the river. These works were then put together to form River Quiver.

River Quiver is a major environmental wind responsive artwork made by 180 children from five local schools designed and coordinated by the artists from the Jennifer Turpin Studio in Sydney. 180 lightweight, translucent sculptures represent the native inhabitants of the river, hung from structures made of  local river plants, the creatures ‘swam’ and ‘flew’ along the river for a day of festivities on the 18^th November 2007. Crowds turned out to marvel at the beautiful creatures moving in the wind, the school band played, a combined choir performed and Phillip Adams spoke about the far reaching effects of projects such as this. The local community was so thrilled that the structure stayed up for a week.

2008 will see the formation of stage two.

Further information www.hccrems.com.au     

Hanna Kay www.hannakay.com

Project Team

Artists: Jennifer Turpin Studios :

• Jennifer Turpin
• Claire Morgan
• Nick Hobbs
• Lara O’Reilly
• Jade Oakley
• Michaelie Crawford               

Contact: Arts Upper Hunter