Amphibious assault

Janet Tavener is a photographer living and working in Sydney. She has been exhibiting with MAY SPACE Online and its previous iterations since 2010, contributing 4 solo exhibitions and countless group shows over the years. Her interests lie in the changing nature of consumption, the geo-politics of food production and distribution and its effects on the environment.

Amphibious Assault explores the current threat posed to our marine environment by non-Indigenous seeds, micro-organisms, and plastic and chemical contaminants.

"In 2017, seaweed containing seeds and micro-organisms from the other side of the globe were found on an Antarctic beach. This brings into stark reality the fact that climate change has made the once impenetrable environment and unique flora and fauna of the polar icecaps vulnerable to invading species. If kelp with seeds and micro-organisms can reach the poles, so too can floating debris such as plastics and other waste. The series titled Amphibious Assault looks at the threat of non-Indigenous seeds, micro-organisms, and potentially plastic and chemical contaminants to our marine environments. Each of the works are construction of plastic/artificial flora from different continents — Africa, Asia, North & South America, Europe, Australia & Antarctica.

The Pangaea series takes its name from the ancient super-continent when all the continents were joined together. The selection of flora in this series is not restricted to a particular continent but as the name suggests, the continents (or flora in this case) have become one."

-- Janet Tavener, 2021