IS the Murray River really a great natural border? That is the question that a group of artists is exploring through a series of research labs along the river.
The Borders project explores the relationship between creative communities in Victorian and New South Wales border towns and their river environment.
Creative producer Rhae Kendrigan said the project was driven by “a collective of artists across NSW and Victoria … very interested in the concept” of borders.
“This issue came to light particularly during the COVID lockdowns and we were looking at how those border closures impacted communities and creative communities.
“Now we have come together to reconnect with the river as the rich ecology that it is that connects us all, socially and environmentally.
“We are really asking the question, do borders exist?
“Are they just invented or created, do they actually exist in nature and can you actually draw a hard line in nature to find a border.”
The project, funded by the Regional Arts Australia recovery fund, is almost two years into its three-year span.
The local and visiting artists completed a Borders residency at Speewa Hall.
Drawing their numbers from across a large spectrum of disciplines such as writing, painting, dance and sound, they all have a deep connection to nature.
On Sunday the group invited the wider community to come and share the outcomes of their work.
The Mildura-based artist talked about coming up with the idea during the pandemic by observing the communities response to the river becoming something that was separating the population.
“The river also became a place of refuge, when they could walk those short distances everyone went to the river to find that peace.
“I thought that was a very interesting juxtaposition that politically and economically you can put a line through nature, but doesn’t actually change that social, environmental ecology that exists.
“We have been finding that a lot of artists in regional areas feel very isolated and this has enabled them to connect with other artists, not just in their area but from all along the river.”
