This visual essay contemplates time, both as a conceptual framework and as it relates to the ongoing existence and evolution of a place-based artwork, One Peppercorn (if demanded). By weaving together personal reflections, poetic musings, and excerpts from the art event itself, the text invites readers to engage with Ron Stone Park, where the original art event took place, as both a physical space and a conceptual locus of inquiry. It questions how a site-specific work can continue after the art event has finished and becomes re-enacted in text and photographic form. It aims to enact an interconnectedness of past, present, and future, delving into the complexities of representation, particularly concerning the translation of an art event that was originally framed as finished, but that is given new life within this renewed context. It reflects on the ongoing process of translating and extending an art event through various mediums, including writing and imagery. This essay highlights the multidimensional nature of the art event, its engagement with place, and its ongoing resonance beyond the physical boundaries of the park.
I write this text while living in Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar, colonially known as Perth, Western Australia. I am originally from Naarm, or Melbourne, where I lived on the traditional Country of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin nations. The land I am on, and sovereignty to it, has never been ceded. I am a performance-informed video artist, whose recent practice has moved towards place-based and participatory outcomes. Working in this way as an uninvited settler, I am cognisant of moving slowly, with care and respect on what will always be Aboriginal land. This work would not have been possible without the collaboration and generosity of Trevor Ryan, who is the cultural advisor for the Centre for People, Place and Planet at Edith Cowan University, where I am a member. Working together at the CPPP enabled a conversation that took the form of a walking interview in Ron Stone Park. As we walked around and through the multiple elements of the place, I recorded Trevor’s voice. Our responses together formed the basis of the soundscape of One Peppercorn.