Posthumous Irrigation.
Posthumous Irrigation.
Group One
Jack Fountain
Amanda Yeo
We think landscape begins at the intersection of humans and the environment that surrounds them.
We acknowledge the reality that neither built or natural things can exist in isolation, and find beauty in their confluence. We seek to better understand how urban growth can occur amongst nature for their mutual benefit.
For us, landscape is less about the preservation of remnant ecologies, and more about encouraging intersections and curating area.
We're interested in investigating how infrastructure can act as a unifier. By necessity it bridges built and natural, and we think in its junctions and along its vectors people are given permission to engage with environments that may be otherwise inaccessible.
These functional objects mark waypoints in otherwise placeless environments, providing focal areas for landscapes to begin.
We hope to find profound relationships between literal and pragmatic things. Building public space with purpose beyond its affect, and infrastructure that can give orientation to a placeless plain.
A Journey to the Plains
Dry earth clumps to each forb as it is pulled from the ground. Each member of the group races to build the biggest pile. The yams are a mess of colour and shape, almost blending into the mingling grass around them. Amongst this swaying tussock plain, only bobbing heads punctuate the encompassing flatness as they crouch to unearth the next bounty.
Soil is displaced as a pipe is laid. The group enjoys a rare moment of respite as the latest truck pulls away, its tray laden with stone, clay and grass alike. The crane, imposing in its presence, creaks with the final effort as a section is locked into place. They can’t help but glare enviously at a group of chippies across the fence, enjoying a break in the shade of a newly erected pergola.
The water runs brown as the tap groans to life, just for a moment. Once connected, the sprinkler is all clean and clear. The kids strain to hold back their excitement as it's placed down on a freshly mown lawn. Its veil of cool water provides a rare instance of respite on a scorching summer's day.
An eddy rotates behind a granite outcrop. Whilst hardly gentle, it’s still in comparison to the rapids it's removed from. A young group takes the chance to escape the heat, doing their best to stifle laughter as not to distract the older pair behind them. The odd couple seem tense with anticipation as they scour the murky water for signs of movement. Waiting, ready to pounce on the first glimpse of scales.
A thin perimeter of twine seems an unnecessary precaution to protect a pine tree. Whilst it may seem small now, one day it’ll dwarf the chain link fence it’s trying to hide. 35 trees in an orderly row, 10 pairs of hands with fresh blisters to show for a hard day's work.
A ring of green is distinct amongst the plain of browns. The contrast urges the convoy forward, the first indication of the all too illusive dam. Smiles break out throughout the car as it comes into view. For once it seems full to the brim, almost spilling out past its walls. How quickly grasslands become wetlands, if only others knew you could open the fence. It’s never locked.