TRAILBLAZERS: AUSTRALIA'S 50 GREATEST EXPLORERS
At the Australian Museum from 28 November 2015 - 18 July 2016
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We travelled through the history of Australian exploration in linear methods, from the Indigenous explorers 50,000 years ago, to colonial expeditions and adventurers in 2015. We journeyed through intimately dark hallways recounting explorations across oceans, under seas, and through geographic lands. We were led through elevated passages - up physically and figuratively to atmospheric levels of exploration, up mountain peaks, above the clouds, and through space.
Timeless tools and trinkets were exposed in spot light and encased behind glassed reflections. A shift in textures from handwritten diaries to hand-held cameras, compasses to GPS, cotton garments to Gortex materials, hand-made hot air balloon to mechanical aeroplanes, and chain-link shark-suits to fibreglass core spacesuits. Relics from the living and the dead, scattered objects gathered from all around the world, from dusty garages to NASA archives. Australian Museum Exhibition Project Manager, Fran Dorey retells the arduous process it took to finalise the inclusion of fifty explorers for the exhibition. “They had to do something significant, or a first, they had to have a great impact on Australian society, history or the Australian psyche,” telling a story about the geographical landscapes and its challenge in the exploration. “It was one of the most fun and entertaining exhibitions I have worked on and one of the most inspiring being able to work with people that have achieved such amazing things” Through Trailblazers we observe the spirit of exploration and the avidity of understanding what is unknown. “Science is a part of exploration, it’s a part of discovery and it is our job to inspire the future generations.” Fran Dorey recites. We explore to understand the world we live in. Pushing ourselves to uncover the world’s past, improve society’s future, and hopefully understand a little bit more about ourselves in the process. A Textured World was a guest of The Australian Museum. |
