This residency ran from 22nd January - 21st February 2024
It was called “Not For Country, But For Self” and is a play on the English translation of the inscription on The Naval Store building which states “NON SIBI SED PATRIAE” in Latin and translates to “not for self, but for country” in English. The phrase and coat of arms, commonly used by the Australian Navy, was the starting point for this residency.
Like a heritage building, printmaking is so often concerned with archival quality and with preservation. I was interested in what happens when you take traditional printmaking mediums and apply them to unconventional sites knowing they aren’t meant to last.
When researching the space I reached out to the Fremantle History Centre who generously sent through a huge collection of colonial documentation relating to the Naval Store and surrounding area. Reading through dozens of newspaper articles I learnt about plans to sell Dwerda Weelardinup/Cantonment Hill to private developers. This area not only houses The Naval Store and and old Signal Station, it’s also where the old Fremantle Army Barracks are located which now houses the WA Army Museum.
There was huge push back from the Naval community who demanded that their land not be taken from them. After short period of intense push back the proposal to sell the land was stopped and the land was transferred to the State, securing the fate of the Military architecture like the protesters had wanted.
Ultimately the work of the community resulted in the land being saved, land with significance that’s thousands of years old. Reading about the significance of this site to First Nations communities only emphasised the irony of the language used by the military community. All words featured in these artworks are direct quotes from newspaper articles I couldn’t move past during my research. Words that First Nations communities have been using to make the same requests for so much longer and still do not have their needs met.
I loved working with materials specific to the space, using only limestone collected from the gallery to flock the prints. At the end of the residency I felt strongly about not taking any of the sand with me, removing all the sand I'd used and returning it to where it was collected.
GIVE US BACK OUR LAND, 2024, Limestone and print paste, 770 x 800mm.
The Gazette. 28 November 2000. Article titled “Rally Call: Give Us Back Our Land”
GIVE US BACK OUR LAND (detail), 2024, Limestone and print paste, 770 x 800mm.
THE MORALLY CORRECT DEFENCE SHOULD HAVE, 2024, Limestone, 1520 x 3310mm. Photograph by Nina Juniper.
It is the contention of the residents who I represent that since Defence now has no further use for this land that the morally correct course of action would be for the Commonwealth to return this land for the purposes our founders originally intended. That is, it is further evidence that this area should be vested as public open space and not be sold to private interests.
Stephen Anstey. Excerpt from TAX TO SENANT INQUIRY INTO THE DISPOSAL OF DEFENCE PROPERTIES. 20 December 2000.
Tuckfield Street residents spokesman Stephen Anstey said: "After WWI, Defence should have returned the land to the people. "The thought of Defence taking the site and selling it for private gain seems morally bankrupt."
Stephen Anstey. Excerpt from The Gazette. 28 November 2000.
THE MORALLY CORRECT DEFENCE SHOULD HAVE (detail), 2024, Limestone, 1520 x 3310mm. Photograph by Nina Juniper.
NOT FOR COUNTRY BUT FOR SELF, 2024, Limestone and print paste, 970 x 40mm.
A play on the English translation of the inscription on The Naval Store building which states “NON SIBI SED PATRIAE” in Latin and translates to “not for self, but for country” in English. The phrase and coat of arms is used by the Australian Navy.
NOT FOR COUNTRY BUT FOR SELF (detail), 2024, Limestone and print paste, 970 x 40mm.
THIS IS A GOVERNMENT, 2024, Limestone, 260 x 290mm.
“Yet despite the richness of its history, the value of its heritage and strength of community support for its retention, the Howard Government has deemed it a surplus defence asset and lined it up for disposal. This is a government which knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing,” said Dr Gallop.
Dr Geoff Gallop. Excerpt from the Fremantle Herald. 5 August 2000.
View of studio.
Install test
Studio detail
Stencil in progress.
Stencils and negatives.
Screen from screen printing workshop.