Reading public spaces: East Perth

Media images interpret and represent culturally and legally defined readings of place. This work relates media photography of the tent embassy on Heirisson Island in 2012 with documents which support the current native title claim for Matagarup and surrounds. These photographs are seen to negotiate and engender two conflicting readings of this place. On the one hand they document continued practice of cultural relationship to the land, and on the other record the violent outcomes of overlooking this right. The installation distinguishes between the international, national and state level legal encoding of sacred Aboriginal places and, in this case, the opposing perspective of the local council. The council’s position is evidenced in planning and visioning documents, and move on orders which call for police action. Through the juxtaposition of photojournalism and archival documents this installation invites the viewer to explore the tensions and violent consequences of a seemingly benign classification of a public space as parkland and recreation reserve.

This exhibit, authored by Robyn Creagh, Shaphan Cox and Thor Kerr, was featured at the Reading public spaces seminar in East Perth. The work was entitled "Heirisson Island, Matagarup: negotiation and conflict in photojournalism and technologies of spatial classification".