Monster Net

An article in the Guardian saw .Greenpeace calling for global action over fishing nets, lines and traps that are deadly for marine life .

“The world’s governments must take action to protect our global oceans, and hold the under-regulated fishing industry to account for its dangerous waste. This should start with a strong global ocean treaty being agreed at the United Nations next year.” Greenpeace, 2019

This was aptly timed, as  at the same time I found myself in Indonesia on an Asialink Arts Residencry with Annabel Amagula and Maicie Lalara  from Anindilyakwa Arts  on Groote Eylandt with Kominatas Salihara, an International multidisciplinary arts center in Indonesia.

Before leaving for Indonesia Maicie Lalara finished weaving a large ‘monster fish’ from a ghost net retrieved from the sea near Groote Eylandt by the ferry driver.

This net was nicknamed  a ‘Monster Net’ by the Northern Territory News.

tps://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-27/monster-ghost-net-hauled-from-remote-nt-waters/109442 

Rangers believe the net may have come all the way from South-East Asia. The Fish, titled, Yilkwa, is covered in marine debris, including lighters and bottle tops, recently collected by a beach cleanup facilitated by the Anindilyakwa Land and Sea Rangers this month. Over 100 people from the Groote  Eylandt Community  worked together to collect over 2000 plastic bottle tops, 604 plastic cigarette lighters, 511 thongs, 130 tooth brushes  and 1295 plastic bottles.

As artists in residence we   worked   to make  new ghost  net into artworks, including sculptural animals, to weave the story of the impact that these nets, that often come from Indonesia,  has upon their coastal community and marine life.

Annabel Amagula says-

“ We are making crabs, turtles , fish baskets. My granddaughter is making that  mini monster fish, that’s why it’s important we share our story and culture with Indonesian People”