Becoming Wetland: A field trip to the otherwise

Becoming wetland: A field trip to the otherwise is a two-part program engaging with the Cheetham wetlands, facilitated by artists Jacqui Gordon and Lhotse Collins. The program will consist of a field trip to the wetlands and a follow-up zine workshop at Trocadero Projects’ gallery.
~

SESSION 1: FIELD TRIP TO CHEETHAM WETLANDS

DATE: SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2025

TIME: 9.00AM–12.30PM

LOCATION: First meet at Trocadero Projects – Level 1, 40 Leeds Street, Footscray VIC 3011

Once attendees have checked in at Trocadero Projects, they will proceed to the meeting point at the Cheetham Wetlands. The meeting point at the Cheetham Wetlands will be at the park entry path near the Cheetham Wetlands Observation Tower: across the road from 39 Sunman Dr, Point Cook VIC 3030. Please park on this street and walk to the tower.

Note that attendees will need to arrange their own transport for this excursion. If you would like assistance, please email info@trocaderoartspace.com.au upon confirmation of your booking.

9.00AM: attendants to meet at Trocadero Projects gallery

9.30AM: arrive at Cheetham Wetlands

10.00AM: writing and image making activities at Cheetham Wetlands Observation Tower

11.30AM: shared morning tea at Saltwater Coast Crocodile Park

The artists will take participants through different ways of thinking, engaging and responding to their environment through guided meditation, image-making and writing exercises.

During the field trip, participants are guided in exploring water-based sociological theories and what that might look like in practice. For example, you may be asked to imagine that your body has dissolved into the wetlands and write about what you experience in a day. Participants will also have the chance to create their own cyanotype, finding a perspective at the wetlands.

This session will consist of a 10-15 minute one-way long walk along the Cheetham Wetlands walking path. The walk will be conducted over the established walking path, however there are uneven surfaces, gravel, grass, and wooden bridges.

Please get in touch if you have accessibility needs when booking your ticket. This event is conditional on fair weather conditions.

~

SESSION 2: ZINE WORKSHOP

DATE: SUNDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2025

TIME: 2.00PM–4.00PM

LOCATION: Trocadero Projects – Level 1, 40 Leeds Street, Footscray VIC 3011

In this session, participants will collate their responses to the Cheetham Wetlands site into a zine. This will include image-assembling and making exercises, and archiving participants' responses and connections to the site and place.

The zine will form a sharable artist book that both archives the participants' response to site, as well as creating something new to go out into the world.

~

Tickets are FREE but limited.

Participants are highly encouraged to sign up for both days but it is not compulsory.

This program is suitable for people of all levels of artistic and creative skills. No drawing or writing experience is necessary.

~

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Jacqui Gordon is a Socially Engaged artist and community worker based on Boonwurrung and Woiwurrung land. Using a combination of participatory performance, sculpture, text and video, her arts practice critiques dominant narratives of Australian identity. Jacqui investigates stories of labour through the lens of gender and the working class of the western suburbs. Jacqui completed a Masters of Art in Public Spaces at RMIT in 2020 and a Bachelor of Fine Art Honours at Monash University in 2014.

Lhotse Collins is an artist, writer and grassroots activist in Naarm/Melbourne. Turning away from Western metaphysical traditions, They research through hydro-feminist frameworks and embodied practices. Lhotse considers the body and its entanglements with water, as a method to surface modes of becoming for worlds otherwise. Lhotse digests their research through sculptural installation, writing, weaving and performance. They consider these practices as part of the resistance to abolish the settler-colony. Lhotse is a current student at the Postnatural Institute.

~

School of Troc is an ongoing series of workshops and events teaching art making methods and skills.

This event and workshop takes place on the traditional lands of the Boon Wurrung and Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. Trocadero and the artists offer our respects to Elders past and present, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.