Background

Farrera

The artists undertook a residency at the Centre d'Art I Natura, Farrera a village of about 30 inhabitants in the Catalan High Pyrenees. Farrera has existed for at least 1,000 years, being the high water mark of Medieval settlement in the area. Over the last four years the village has experienced altered weather patterns: seasons out of step, lack of rainfall, absence of the usual snowfalls. As a result, local shepherds have had to purchase hay from elsewhere to feed their flocks throughout winter.

Svalbard

Svalbard is a group of islands between 74 and 81 degrees north. Only the main island, Spitsbergen, has a few year round human settlements. Here, in a disused coal mine is a repository of agricultural seeds. Frozen deep underground in the permafrost, it is thought these seeds would survive disasters such as nuclear war, and could be used to rebuild human agriculture. Through the support of the Svalbard Villmarkssenter Linda was able to travel by boat to view glaciers, other settlements and the bay, and by dog sled through the arctic wilderness. Historically, every winter the bay completely freezes over. For the last few years the ice has not formed.

Colo

The particular area of bush in the Guymer valley near Colo is inaccessible by car. Because of the steep, rocky hillsides and unsuitability of the soil, it has not been cultivated or cleared except for some selective logging in the 1880s and early 1900s. It was usual for floods to come through the valley about every 5 years. In the last few years they have been far more frequent and sudden, rising in hours rather than days. Fires have also been far more intense.

Tempe

The Princes Highway at Tempe is a roaring inner-west location of congested heavy traffic, low flying planes, high pollution and local social disadvantage. 2009 has seen devastating heat-waves and dust-storms which have further reduced livability in this urban scraw.

From small details and fragments, from conversations and local opinions, materials gathered at these ends of the earth, have been the basis for the project.