Clean Up On Country
HELENA GRIFFITH, 2022
Recycled paint tin, paper, glue, plaster of Paris and acrylic paint.
20 x 20 x 40 cm.
About the artwork…
June 19th 2022 in the peaceful NSW river town of Colo, a property was raided by police under the guise of it being deemed a ‘crime scene’. 48hrs of police searching ensued, during which tents were damaged, car windows smashed, and tins of paint emptied onto Dharug country. The property was a home and camp to environmental activists, who were at the mercy of ‘anti-protest’ laws that were introduced one month prior, variations of which have since been introduced here in Tasmania. Eight activists were arrested on the day of the raid two of which spent three and a half weeks in prison, their crime? Planning to protest. A further 32 people were arrested for participating in protests in the fortnight that followed, all of which are being charged under the NSW ‘anti-protest’ bill, which could have them sentenced up to 2 years in prison and $22,000 in fines.
About the artist…
Born in and raised in rural NSW, Helena moved to Tasmania in 2018 to study Environmental Science at UTAS. Her passion for nature and the outdoors led her to first take part in activism with groups such as The Bob Brown Foundation, calling for the protection of Tasmania’s Wilderness. The first half of 2022 found Helena residing in Sydney NSW, with a group of fellow activists, organising protests that call for the much-needed systematic changes required to stop the climate injustices that Australia and its institutions are harbouring. The introduction of the anti-protest laws is just another example of such injustices. All profits made from the sale of this piece will go towards environmental activism in lutruwita/Tasmania.
HELENA GRIFFITH, 2022
Recycled paint tin, paper, glue, plaster of Paris and acrylic paint.
20 x 20 x 40 cm.
About the artwork…
June 19th 2022 in the peaceful NSW river town of Colo, a property was raided by police under the guise of it being deemed a ‘crime scene’. 48hrs of police searching ensued, during which tents were damaged, car windows smashed, and tins of paint emptied onto Dharug country. The property was a home and camp to environmental activists, who were at the mercy of ‘anti-protest’ laws that were introduced one month prior, variations of which have since been introduced here in Tasmania. Eight activists were arrested on the day of the raid two of which spent three and a half weeks in prison, their crime? Planning to protest. A further 32 people were arrested for participating in protests in the fortnight that followed, all of which are being charged under the NSW ‘anti-protest’ bill, which could have them sentenced up to 2 years in prison and $22,000 in fines.
About the artist…
Born in and raised in rural NSW, Helena moved to Tasmania in 2018 to study Environmental Science at UTAS. Her passion for nature and the outdoors led her to first take part in activism with groups such as The Bob Brown Foundation, calling for the protection of Tasmania’s Wilderness. The first half of 2022 found Helena residing in Sydney NSW, with a group of fellow activists, organising protests that call for the much-needed systematic changes required to stop the climate injustices that Australia and its institutions are harbouring. The introduction of the anti-protest laws is just another example of such injustices. All profits made from the sale of this piece will go towards environmental activism in lutruwita/Tasmania.
HELENA GRIFFITH, 2022
Recycled paint tin, paper, glue, plaster of Paris and acrylic paint.
20 x 20 x 40 cm.
About the artwork…
June 19th 2022 in the peaceful NSW river town of Colo, a property was raided by police under the guise of it being deemed a ‘crime scene’. 48hrs of police searching ensued, during which tents were damaged, car windows smashed, and tins of paint emptied onto Dharug country. The property was a home and camp to environmental activists, who were at the mercy of ‘anti-protest’ laws that were introduced one month prior, variations of which have since been introduced here in Tasmania. Eight activists were arrested on the day of the raid two of which spent three and a half weeks in prison, their crime? Planning to protest. A further 32 people were arrested for participating in protests in the fortnight that followed, all of which are being charged under the NSW ‘anti-protest’ bill, which could have them sentenced up to 2 years in prison and $22,000 in fines.
About the artist…
Born in and raised in rural NSW, Helena moved to Tasmania in 2018 to study Environmental Science at UTAS. Her passion for nature and the outdoors led her to first take part in activism with groups such as The Bob Brown Foundation, calling for the protection of Tasmania’s Wilderness. The first half of 2022 found Helena residing in Sydney NSW, with a group of fellow activists, organising protests that call for the much-needed systematic changes required to stop the climate injustices that Australia and its institutions are harbouring. The introduction of the anti-protest laws is just another example of such injustices. All profits made from the sale of this piece will go towards environmental activism in lutruwita/Tasmania.
Sculpture to be collected post-exhibition on November 6 2022 from the Thistle Inn Stable Gallery, Church street, Ross.