Rockpools - West Space
When I think of rockpools I often reflect on the otherworldly dwellings in the shallows that emerge only as the waves roll out to sea and the tide is low. On entering Yindjibarndi artist, Katie West’s exhibition at Westspace, ‘Rockpools’, I was welcomed with the comforting and familiar sound of water and waves, nostalgic of summer afternoons on the coast. On further inspection, the sounds of water were transmitted through radios with antennas drawn, placed structurally on metal beams and grates, representing West’s own interpretation of a rockpool. Sparked with curiosity I wanted to understand how such a manmade structure could be reflective of a naturally created rockpool, especially, when I had such a literal representation in my own mind. West challenges this expected visual, reflecting the ‘detritus of colonisation’ with scavenged objects from tip shops in Karratha on Ngarluma Ngurra (Country) and in Noongar Ballardong Boodja (Country) to build her own rockpools.
It is evident that West works with a carefully considered creative process as she connects elements of human society with her own lived experience. The extraction of precious minerals in the Pilbara region leaves gaping holes in the land - these are man made. I felt the strength of West’s vision when considering an extraction site in comparison to a rockpool, both voids of space in their own right. I could see the sea shells, bailer shells (Melo amphora) specifically, placed into the ‘Rockpools’ and felt the weight of scrap metal contrasting with the natural, precious shells in a balanced composition. The juxtaposition of mining is unsettling when associated with the naturally occurring rockpools that hold cultural significance and are reserved for women to welcome their children. Each rockpool, whilst unique, features similar elements which allowed for cohesion in the gallery space. The reoccurring symbology of the bailer shell was again featured on the wall with three archival prints dedicated to West’s grandmothers Wuggi, Sheila and Shirley. The shells marking the stories of the graves of each woman.
It is a privilege to have such a precious history shared by West. The exhibition sits beyond the walls of the gallery with the materials of the ‘Rockpools’ unusually connected to the land where they were found. The gallery merges both the natural and manufactured world with the curated space. When settling into the gallery you are no longer in Collingwood, and are instead transported through West’s own life story, her journey to reach this point. The dirt and rugged metal scraps are harsh against the immersive waves. The prints of West’s grandmothers are overlooking the rockpools, watching.
It is quite a rarity when an artist can capture the essence of family, story, time and place in such a way that one feels the beauty of familial love alongside the harrowing impacts of colonialism on people and Country. I entered Westspace solely considering my own experience and connection to the rockpool. I now reflect on my naivety when I would stick my head in the water looking carefully for creatures that linger in the cervices. I think of my place in this world, my connection to family and I honour Wuggi, Sheila and Shirley. I leave Westspace and the ‘Rockpools’ exhibition with an expanded view and have been privileged to be immersed in Katie West’s equally beautiful and harrowing artistic exploration of knowledge the rockpool holds.