Walking along the Moonee Moonee
From June until the end of August 2022, resident artist Edwina Stevens researched, wrote, exhibited and spoke with her audiences onsite, extending upon her longstanding line of inquiry into place, the importance of attentive listening, noticing, wandering without agenda, and more.
During her residency, Edwina showed Moonee Moonee Underpass 2020. The artwork reflects upon the experience of stepping out of the home during Victoria's extended COVID-19 lockdowns when, like many of us, the artist took long walks along the Moonee Moonee creek trail.
Through this captivating series, comprising photographs, moving image and sound, she calls attention to the state of the Moonee Moonee waterway, which has been severely affected by toxic run-off, sewerage and drainage work.
Whilst the work has an ecological message, it also aims to draw the viewer/listener into a conversation about the importance of attentive listening, noticing, and wandering without agenda.
On Saturday, 20 August, we took a wander along the Moonee Moonee Creek trail with Eddie and the audience to experience the places where she walked and recorded her images and sounds for the artwork. See the ‘location/place details’ below.
We started where Eddie recorded the sounds in the underpass. We wandered around the recording point and then ambled back towards Strathmore, where the concrete channel starts along the trail, before returning to where we started.
Some of us took photos and recorded sounds. Others simply enjoyed the experience of walking, listening, looking and noticing what was around them. Pictured are some of our walking group and some sights and sounds along the way.
Press the button below to listen to Edwina’s sound work while you scroll through the images. You can also watch the AV work by the artist via the Vimeo link above.
Thank you to those who walked, listened and noticed as we walked together.
Location/place details
Recording point
The underpass where the sound was recorded by the artist, under the CityLink M2, is located in Essendon – GPS co-ordinates -37.744507, 144.933955. It is a 3.3km or 45 minute walk (approximately) from the coordinate below. Press the ‘View larger map’ hyperlink in the map at right to launch a larger map showing the proposed ending point pin.
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The walk featured in the artwork started here at Strathmore on the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail - GPS co-ordinates -37.723786, 144.917112. This is the start of the concrete channel photographed in the artist’s exhibition. Press the ‘View larger map’ hyperlink in the map at left to launch a larger map showing the proposed starting point pin.
