Art Destinations

Ep 6: Adam Thompson on writing and moonbirding on the islands

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.

Ep 5: Ellen Dahl on finding connections between the peripheries of Tasmania and Svalbard

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.

Ep 4: Troy Ruffels on making atmospheres

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.

Ep 3: Collaborating for Conservation with Matthew Newton

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.

Ep 2: Jeff Malpas thinking on thinking

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.

Ep 1: Zoe Grey's shifting perspectives on belonging

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.

Ep 8: Challenging tradition in a changing climate with Lorenzo Barbasetti di Prun

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.
 

Ep 7: Photographer Davide Degano questions what it means to be Italian

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.