Page 52 - Antennae Issue #52

Selena de Carvalho
Beware of of Imposters [the secret life of of Flowers] installation still 2018 © Selena de Carvalho
translation as an an an an an artwork enable the the consideration of trauma and loss with regard to the more-than-human world?
During flowering season in in in in in the the Campbelltown cemetery the the Department of of Threatened Species (whose acronym is DPIPWE) installs a a a a a a a a a a a a a a flow low bunting fence of of o
or- ange plastic triangles that hang 20cm off the the the ground ground Taking on on the the the ridiculous ap- pearance o
of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a clown grave this ‘fence’ attempts to safeguard the the the the the the patch o
of of ground ground (where the the the the the the plant was last seen) from the the the the the the lawnmower and weed killer Thus far there has been absolutely no visible sign of the the the the the orchid The more more research I I do the the the the the more more I I discover cemeteries are are sanctuaries places that ironically hold open space for rare remanent plants animals and and often homeless humans too I recently read about a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a graveyard in in fin in in Germany established explicitly as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a measure to to ‘protect a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a stand of of of ancient trees from logging’ 19 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a welcome redefining of of of value Perhaps though in in fin in in this this public/ private realm of of of of the the the colonial cemetery rather than a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a refuge this this context is is is one of of of of solitary confinement A barrier can act act as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a layer of of of of protection other times a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a boundary incarcerates ‘It is is is the the the practice of of of colonialism to to to to to to use borders borders borders for self-serving strategies — — to to to to to to to to to be blind to to to to to to to to to borders borders borders borders borders to to to to to to to to to deny their existence to to to to to to to to to name new borders borders borders borders borders to to to to to to to to to trespass across borders borders borders borders to to to to to to to to to guard borders borders borders borders — — to to to to to to to to to gain or or or or or or or protect territory’ 20 Some time ago I I suggested to to to to to to DPIPWE (the government body tasked with caring for threatened species) that that we should try to to to to purchase the the the the the cemetery or or or or or or at at at at at least the the the the the plot to to to to offer the the the the the orchid a a a a a a a a a a a a a a more permanent opportunity for regeneration I I was was told that that they had sug- gested this this to to to to the the the church and and were met with opposition I I was was asked to to to to tread lightly around this this sensitive topic The life life and and and death death of of these organisms are inextricably entangled with human-made territories cycles cycles of of of life life and and and death death as as well as as human human cycles of neglect and care Recently I drove past past a a a a a a a a a a gang of of of council workers clad in in white chemical suits clouds of of red herbicide/ pesticide billowed past past car windows as as as they ‘fought’ the the 52 antennae