James Parker and John Whitney’s New Exhibition ‘Pipes’ Opens at Signal Point Experience Centre This May
The duo’s new exhibition takes art lovers on a fascinating journey through the ubiquitous pipes found across Australia.
Image supplied
Local creatives James Parker and John Whitney have teamed up for a new exhibition charting the various pipelines that traverse the Australian outback. Set to open in May at the Signal Point Experience Centre at The Goolwa Wharf, Pipes consists of a series of drawings, paintings and etchings of waterpipes, fire hydrants and more from across Australia.
The two use a variety of materials to create their artwork, including ink and oil paint on raw canvas, graphite on plywood and graphite on paper.
Parker and Whitney will also spend the first week of the exhibition creating an impromptu drawing directly onto the wall of the gallery that will be there for the duration of the exhibition.
Speaking on the inspiration behind Pipes, Whitney says, “We live in the driest state on the driest continent where water is precious - and indeed a scarcity compared to many other regions of this continent. We have three rivers – of which only one really flows, and the quality is considerably deteriorated after travelling through the Eastern states. From this, river water has to be pumped vast distances around the state in above-ground concrete pipes.
“On a positive note, the engineering challenges of the pipes sprawling across the ever-changing landscape, up and down hills, under roads, across creeks and gorges, with only the occasional pumping station to keep the water flowing on its way, is amazing but too often taken for granted.
“The solid nature of the structure certainly has a presence in the natural surroundings, but at the same time, it is very vulnerable. My father, a ten-pound POM from post-war Britain, used to comment on how easy it would be to cripple the state if one were to blow up the pipeline.
“When one considers the population relying on this network of pipes across the state and the overall warming due to climate change, we could actually have an underestimated problem looming. Luckily for Adelaide, the much-maligned desalination plant (when first installed) is proving to be a quiet saviour with no water restrictions in place.”
Parker adds, “They (pipes) are companions that travel alongside me on long road trips. They sit lightly on the landscape like a fallen hair on a shoulder.”
Pipes takes place at the Signal Point Experience Centre from Saturday 2 May to Sunday 28 June.
