Keith Armstrong: The 'Re-Introduction' Project
type: channel
description: Recipient of the 2012 ANAT Synapse Art-Science Residency Program, collaborating with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy
date: 2013-10-14T02:28:34Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
generator agent: https://wordpress.org/
items: Pitfall in Mildura
items: The Pitfall Exhibition
items: Residency 4 – Scotia NSW
items: a-feral-cat-ate-my-bilbies (Global Mail Article)
items: AWC on google earth
items: Opportunistic Cultural Survey Results
items: Owl Pellets
items: Art-Science Dialogues @ AWC Kalamurina..
items: Getting Into the Process
items: Tasks ahead

Pitfall in Mildura
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2013-10-14T02:23:38Z
subject: Reflections on Process
description: The first outcome of the project was Pitfall (An Opportunistic Cultural Survey) – premiered as a solo exhibition at Mildura Arts Centre, Victoria. A pitfall is an unapparent source of trouble or danger; a hidden hazard: Today we all face, or will soon be facing ecological pitfalls of many kinds. ‘Pitfall’ is a continually-evolving artwork built […]
encoded: The first outcome of the project was Pitfall (An Opportunistic Cultural Survey) – premiered as a solo exhibition at Mildura Arts Centre, Victoria. A pitfall is an unapparent source of trouble or danger; a hidden hazard: Today we all face, or will soon be facing ecological pitfalls of many kinds. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-324" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-324 " src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2013/10/MG_8532-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="717" height="477" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2013/10/MG_8532-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2013/10/MG_8532-150x99.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2013/10/MG_8532-300x199.jpg 300w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2013/10/MG_8532.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 717px) 100vw, 717px" /> Pitfall, Mildura, 2013 ‘Pitfall’ is a continually-evolving artwork built from multiple screens, a tabletop landscape mapped with projections, fibre optics, 3D spatial sound and infrared night imagery. It builds upon ideas, recordings and cross-disciplinary processes developed during my 2012-13 ANAT Synapse Art-Science residency, with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), Australia’s largest private-sector conservation organisation. See the Reintroduction project pages. SHOWINGS: 1: Pitfall, Mildura Art Centre, 199 Cureton Ave, Mildura, Victoria, Australia, 5th Sept-27th Oct, 2013. Opening 5th September at 7pm. {Coinciding with Mildura Palimpsest Site Specific Arts Biennial, Victoria}. Catalogue. Front Page Headline! <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-325" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-325" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2013/10/MG_8526-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2013/10/MG_8526-300x199.jpg 300w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2013/10/MG_8526-150x99.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org…

The Pitfall Exhibition
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2013-07-10T06:20:38Z
subject: Reflections on Process
description: PITFALL Pitfall is a new media installation created in light, media, object, text and multi channel sound. It builds upon ideas and cross disciplinary processes developed during a recent ANAT Synapse Art Science residency in collaboration with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. The AWC have instigated radical approaches to conservation in order to stem the rapid […]
encoded: PITFALL Pitfall is a new media installation created in light, media, object, text and multi channel sound. It builds upon ideas and cross disciplinary processes developed during a recent ANAT Synapse Art Science residency in collaboration with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. The AWC have instigated radical approaches to conservation in order to stem the rapid decline of Australian small mammals across our landscapes, with species-focused recovery programs and the use of large-scale feral proof fencing techniques. An extensive use of scientific trapping, tagging, measuring and counting processes allows the AWC to demonstrate net gains. One frequently used technique involves the use of pitfall tube traps to catch small mammals and other invertebrates. During a ‘ground truthing’ residency in Kalamurina sanctuary (North of Lake Eyre in SA) I began to reflect upon the cultural and ecological ideas of a ‘pitfall’ – as an unapparent source of trouble or danger; a hidden hazard. Indeed our very presence out there searching for rare and endangered species suggested we had both fallen into some form of trap, and yet believed/conceived some viable ways out. I was profoundly torn between concern, hope and fear for truly exquisite species in crisis, the astonishing almost gone .. and I, we, had barely even heard of them. This love, loss and lack inspired me to devise and conduct a playful ‘survey’ of my own for the tightly-knit scientific team, working together for a short time at that location. I devised ‘Pitfalls, An Opportunistic Cultural Survey’. As the surveys were undertaken and returned to me I then ‘ran the numbers’ through my own custom artistic processes – in order to conceive Pitfall, an artwork which references the rich diversity of ideas contributed by this highly focused group of scientists on some very big, and very little, picture topics. Pitfall is both heartfelt and wide ranging – and yet it presents a very simple, potent message straight from the conserva…

Residency 4 – Scotia NSW
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2012-11-28T08:35:20Z
subject: Reflections on Process
subject: Residency 4: Scotia NSW
description: As the weather heats up to 40 + in the day – I find the pleasure of re-immersion into the AWC sanctuary residency process that I have been now working on over the past year – now into the last third of the 16 weeks allotted I am at Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary in NSW – […]
encoded: As the weather heats up to 40 + in the day – I find the pleasure of re-immersion into the AWC sanctuary residency process that I have been now working on over the past year – now into the last third of the 16 weeks allotted I am at Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary in NSW – headquarters of the organisation in this region and long known for its exceptional successes in the fencing of feral proof very large scale areas. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-288" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-288" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3505.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3505.jpg 640w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3505-150x100.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3505-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /> Bridle Nailtailed Wallabies - no where else on this continent will you see this many Dropping in here, two and half hours as is it is from Mildura (Which in itself seems a long way from my home town of Brisbane) its a 2.5 hour drive through the red dirt to the sanctuary gates. As with other residencies I will spend my time both with the scientists in the field (the primary modality of operation here and this time pitfall surveying again) and also continue to develop the ideas and aspirations of the residency in this rich and warmly welcoming environment. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-290" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3822.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3822.jpg 640w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3822-150x100.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3822-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /> Knob tailed gecko (Nephurus Levis) with the eyes to prove it, a mor…

a-feral-cat-ate-my-bilbies (Global Mail Article)
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2012-11-28T07:04:26Z
subject: Reflections on Process
description: A Feral Cat Ate My Bilbies – A Radical Approach as We Daily Loose Australian Wildlife to Feral Cats and Foxes
encoded: A Feral Cat Ate My Bilbies – A Radical Approach as We Daily Loose Australian Wildlife to Feral Cats and Foxes <img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-large wp-image-278" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3569-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3569-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3569-150x99.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3569-300x199.jpg 300w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/11/IMG_3569.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

AWC on google earth
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2012-11-28T06:58:38Z
subject: Reflections on Process
description: google tour of AWC sanctuaries
encoded: google tour of AWC sanctuaries

Opportunistic Cultural Survey Results
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2012-10-07T23:26:05Z
subject: Reflections on Process
subject: Residency 3: Kalamurina SA
subject: Uncategorized
description: As per the prior posts – After a bit of thinking how I could best stimulate some creative thinking around biodiversity and conservation that would suit the scientific team, I alighted on asking everyone to engage in an opportunistic ‘cultural survey’ using a format I designed as we workd through our scientific surveys in the […]
encoded: As per the prior posts – After a bit of thinking how I could best stimulate some creative thinking around biodiversity and conservation that would suit the scientific team, I alighted on asking everyone to engage in an opportunistic ‘cultural survey’ using a format I designed as we workd through our scientific surveys in the desert sites each day .. playfully paralleling the\at survey work we were all doing together – it was really great that I ultimately got a series of ‘results’ and ‘evidence’ from everyone over the next few days as ppl thought it through and filled in ideas in the down times – and many of the responses were amazing and considered – in some cases several pages of thinking, and people provided drawings, photos, ideas, quotes, songs, samples (e.g. simple but clear ideas such a vial of sand (in an empty DNA container) , an ’empty’ bird survey etc). <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-241" loading="lazy" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/IMG_23936.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" class="size-full wp-image-241" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/IMG_23936.jpg 640w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/IMG_23936-150x100.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/IMG_23936-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /> Rare and endangered Woma Python One lunchtime we then got back together to discuss and share our ideas – and I gave a bit of reflective analysis of what I saw coming out of the team’s ideas (as you would imagine there was a lot of synergistic thinking around the problems – but naturally we are all searching for new and better ways to deal with the cultural issues of ‘raising awareness’ generally – that we all recognised underpins long time strategies – a simple expression that when analysed becomes a minefield of human psychology, habits and perceptions – as we all well know : <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-244" loading="…

Owl Pellets
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2012-10-02T04:40:54Z
subject: Residency 3: Kalamurina SA
subject: Uncategorized
description: Today an amazing collection was being disassembled – the contents of regurgitated owl pellets who are growing fat on the multitudinous long haired rats here who have bred up after recent good times – With ideas now starting to build around the survey referred to in the last piece and some clear forms for work […]
encoded: Today an amazing collection was being disassembled – the contents of regurgitated owl pellets who are growing fat on the multitudinous long haired rats here who have bred up after recent good times – With ideas now starting to build around the survey referred to in the last piece and some clear forms for work emerging – the stunning nature of the remains took me a back a little under lens – I sent them off to my collaborator scientist Matt Hayward in Mildura who then gave me permission to take some remains back to brisbane for doing more work on in the studio – I think the potential nature of the investigation had visual resonance for us both. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214" loading="lazy" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/IMG_1650.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" class="size-full wp-image-214" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/IMG_1650.jpg 640w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/IMG_1650-150x100.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/IMG_1650-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /> Long Haired rat - skull remains retrieved from regurgitated barn owl pellet

Art-Science Dialogues @ AWC Kalamurina..
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2012-10-01T03:12:45Z
subject: Residency 3: Kalamurina SA
subject: Uncategorized
description: Building on the last post, it reminds me of asking my son what he did at school today – the conversation doesn’t start well there – it starts more richly over shared activity – sitting in the 4WD on the way back from a survey, as we are digging in a pit fall trap, over […]
encoded: Building on the last post, it reminds me of asking my son what he did at school today – the conversation doesn’t start well there – it starts more richly over shared activity – sitting in the 4WD on the way back from a survey, as we are digging in a pit fall trap, over coffee (needing a few with the 4.45am starts).. a chance to speak a little about my own research perspectives and ways of doing things – as a means for understanding crossovers and permeations. NB – with our eye on the sources of crashing biodiversity here ., the pics are all of feral animals caught on ‘camera traps’ mostly in infra red light – we have about 50 cameras on site I think .. (some beauties – see the dingo with the feral cat in its mouth) – All these images are by courtesy of AWC Kalamurina Wildlife Sanctuary station manager Mark McClaren. <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-199" loading="lazy" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/female-dingo-and-cat-pic-1-27.09.12-kala.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" class="size-full wp-image-199" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/female-dingo-and-cat-pic-1-27.09.12-kala.jpg 640w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/female-dingo-and-cat-pic-1-27.09.12-kala-150x112.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/10/female-dingo-and-cat-pic-1-27.09.12-kala-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /> Dingo secures the scourge of Australia, the feral cat .. Image Kalamurina Station Manager, Mark McClaren Over time I begin to think about the processes we have been going through – and with a fully bonded team working together closely – we all get a pretty good sense of each other – that’s something that works so well out here – there is a low key sense of each others space, a shared respect due to lots of proximity and the fact that we are all so remote and therefore absolutely co-dependent. Slowly I begin to see the culture of the surveying that is underway…

Getting Into the Process
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2012-09-29T10:16:33Z
subject: Reflections on Process
subject: Residency 3: Kalamurina SA
subject: Uncategorized
description: With the AWC I describe my role as embedded – by which I mean – I am here as a working team member as well as artist – I now have an expanding range of animal, insect and lizard handling, trapping and general building skills and camera trapping skills – which like any other crew […]
encoded: With the AWC I describe my role as embedded – by which I mean – I am here as a working team member as well as artist – I now have an expanding range of animal, insect and lizard handling, trapping and general building skills and camera trapping skills – which like any other crew member Im expected to use. In essence there is a survey to do and everyone who comes out to this remote spot is crew – this being the third year I believe that they have spent trying to determine what moves through this extraordinarily large property (1.6 million acres) : <img loading="lazy" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_08521.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-191" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_08521.jpg 640w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_08521-150x100.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_08521-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /> I join teams each day – leaving before dawn to go out and check the traps that have been set (to pick up the creatures of the night – premominantly this season the long haired rat and a range of insects and geckos. My roles have included emptying the pitfall traps (tubes in the ground at the end of long fence runs – into which the animals and insects and lizards fall to be picked up checked, recored and released). We also trap in funnel traps – which landed us a decent sized snake – and we also check for mammals in elliot and cage traps. We do the same in the evening to pick up creatures of the day – in this case predominantly lizards and insects – these have been in diverse country including dunes, claypans, gibber plains and riverine woodlands. We work in three day rotations – which include the setting up of the sites – requiring digging, building and so forth – all team work – often in the heat of the day (its moved between 20 degres and 38 with clear skies, dust storms and ligh…

Tasks ahead
type: item
creator: keith
date: 2012-09-19T07:35:14Z
subject: Residency 3: Kalamurina SA
description: Now safely camped on the sand dunes – in tent not swag as Dingoes and Long Haired Rats call regularly here – the air is filled with kites, kestrels and eagles – the country looks good – exceptional rains. Nothing on this arvo after a mornings work washing down cars and unpacking – so time […]
encoded: Now safely camped on the sand dunes – in tent not swag as Dingoes and Long Haired Rats call regularly here – the air is filled with kites, kestrels and eagles – the country looks good – exceptional rains. Nothing on this arvo after a mornings work washing down cars and unpacking – so time to think about the kind of questions, provocations, idea sessions and image mqking that might be possible with a really lovely group of dedicated people .. but flat out probably from now on in – bait balls made, cars washed down, tyres let down to attack the dune swales, pitfall traps, cages, fences and nets onboard, GPS primed and camera traps powered up! <img loading="lazy" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_05451.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-159" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_05451.jpg 640w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_05451-150x100.jpg 150w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_05451-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /> <img loading="lazy" src="http://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_05431.jpg" alt="" width="427" height="640" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-160" srcset="https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_05431.jpg 427w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_05431-100x150.jpg 100w, https://armstrong2012.blog.anat.org.au/files/2012/09/IMG_05431-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 427px) 100vw, 427px" />