Isabella Bendeich
The Jannali High School
GOULD'S LEGACY
Printmaking
Monoprinting, oil-based ink on paper
My work pays homage to Elizabeth and John Gould’s nineteenth century research and ornithology art. Interest in exoticism and naturalism in their era created a paradox: exotic species were hunted for displays, but the scientific knowledge gained helps conservationists monitor and preserve living species today. In my body of work I explore the complex meaning of preservation through a study of bird species. Pairs of layered works represent birds and branches in varying degrees of presence and absence. Some are in harmony with the natural environment, whereas others are removed from it and lie lifeless on doilies.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Elizabeth and John Gould; Edgar Degas.
Marker's Commentary
Gould’s Legacy is a direct reference to English ornithologist John Gould who completed the first major study of birds in Australia during the 1800’s. The body of work comprises twenty-three monoprints in tones of sepia. The quick, instinctive approach to drawing and the resulting prints from the plates is reminiscent of Gould’s limited drawing practice. The circular framing device, composition of the portraits and arrangement of the birds, is further acknowledgement to the Victorian era. The use of multiple prints from the same plate adds further resonance to the plight of birds, their treatment in science and the intervention of habitats by ongoing settlement. Like Gould’s research, this body of work creates a document for historical reference and future deliberation about conservation.