Beyond Time draws upon Murphy's exploration of Saltmarsh in the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) Saltmarsh and at Pipeclay Lagoon in Tasmania asking the viewer to imagine what might be yet to come beyond our times.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

Beyond Time draws upon my exploration of Saltmarsh in the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) Saltmarsh and at Pipeclay Lagoon in Tasmania asking to imagine what might be yet to come beyond our times.

My visit to Pipeclay Lagoon in early 2025 meant marking time with a different beat to that of contemporary life. My exploration of the Saltmarsh in the Darbarl Yerrigan found only three remnant ecologies in Doontanboro (Melville Waters). Our consciousness can exist beyond the time bound between the establishment of the Swan River Settlement and the present.

Ultimately, questions emerge as to: “What sits at the edges of time and beyond? “

My river journey and documentation of our water sources through exhibitions began more than 10 years ago. I realised that rivers provided a place of safety if one understood how they ebbed and flowed. Rivers are a place where you can begin to absorb knowledge directly from the land.

Over a decade ago, I began analysing where the Derbal Yerrigan came up from the ground. I discovered salt and algal residue in the river as the levels fell in the dryer season. The river was in distress with the increasing evidence of a declining rain fall. Initially, some did not accept climate change or our role in the change of the river ecology but scientific evidence was ultimately widely acknowledged to support the fact that this was not just a passing phenomenon for which we all needed to pay attention.

Over this past decade, I have progressively moved from being a “landscape artist” to becoming an “ecological warrior.” My tools were simple. I had my paint brushes, my glass kiln, my printing press and emotional support to persevere. Even though I was working on an “environmental issue” I always thought the task was about people.

The environment can in simple terms be the space that surrounds us. For me it made more sense to think of ecological systems that human beings are inherently part of. We now know that our environment, fresh air, and nature are good for our health and wellbeing. But does this mean that we are good for the environment and its health and wellbeing? If we consider ourselves as part of ecology, the question is “What we need to think about and how do we behave to ensure we maintain a healthy ecosystem.”

All together the work has given me the opportunity to think and work with a wider lens about what we are doing with our vital ecologies. Hopefully, conversations will emerge about what might be possible beyond our present time.