Leanne Thompson

Pivot

Pivot - to completely change the way something is done.

Is this action possible for western society?
This question hovers over the inertia at the confluence of environmental awareness, responsibility and action.

This body of work was a direct response to conversations with scientists and ecologists regarding their research into human impact on oceans and species living in this environment.

Materially, the works are varied allowing exploration and connection with the thematic content - changing ph, carbon sequestration, temperature effects between ocean current and atmospheric conditions, loss of oxygen producing microorganisms, plastic pollution and mass ‘wrecks’ of pelagic birds on migration.

Selected works included here include:
Spineless evoked the fate of sea turtles, mistaking shopping bags for jellyfish - by using the plastic to mimic their unique patterning of fibrin, a protein that allows blood to clot, Litmus Strips considered acidifying oceans and impact on coral, and Hitchhikers used plastic cable ties to construct foreign phytoplankton, floating in on ocean waste and considered a bio-risk.

Pivot also included the first interactive and ephemeral installations produced for a gallery setting and a wall of self portraits by yr 5 students from Bundeena Primary School, created in a workshop where we discussed environmental change and asked how they felt and what it meant to be a witness.

Originally exhibited as a solo show at Hazelhurst Arts Centre, many of the works have also been included in other exhibitions including:

Living Data, University of Technology, Sydney (with the Climate Change Cluster research group)
Harbour Sculpture, Woolwich (the works Spineless and Hitchhikers shared first prize for indoor works)