Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, SydneyHeather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey · 2022

  • Art movementContemporary Conceptual Art
  • Creation date2022
  • MuseumBiennale of Sydney
In the photography of Ackroyd & Harvey, notions of passage of time and transience are evoked through the use of a living plant material – seedling grass. The artists use grass grown from seed on vertical surfaces as a living photographic medium, which they term ‘photographic photosynthesis’. In a darkroom setting using projected light through a negative image, the emergent blade of grass has an extraordinary capacity to record complex photographic images through the production of chlorophyll. Each germinating blade of grass produces a concentration of chlorophyll pigment that relates to the amount of projected light available to it, and the strength of green produced is according to the intensity of light received. Gradual fading of the image may occur over time due to natural UV bleaching by light.Responding to ‘place’ is integral to how Ackroyd & Harvey develop ideas. To make the photographic content for rīvus, the artists worked with Uncle Charles ‘Chicka’ Madden, a widely respected Gadigal Elder, and his grand-daughter Lille Madden, First Nations director at Groundswell, a giving platform for climate action, and activist with Indigenous youth climate network Seed Mob.

Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey (1959 –)

Heather Ackroyd & Dan Harvey: UK artists exploring ecology, architecture, & activism through photography, printmaking & installations. Innovative art duo.

Biennale of Sydney (Sydney, Australia)

As Australia's premier contemporary art festival, the Biennale of Sydney offers transformative thematic exhibitions across iconic city venues that provoke critical reflection, inviting you to explore global artistic innovation.

About this artwork

  • Title: Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney
  • Artist: Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey
  • Year: 2022
  • Format: Landscape
  • Copyright status: Under copyright
  • Where to see it: Biennale of Sydney
  • Corpus context: ecology & time, indigenous knowledge
  • Color palette: Earthy
  • Keywords: photographic photosynthes, dark gray wall painting, indigenous australian art
  • Color intensity: Monochromatic

Questions & Answers

How old was Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey when creating "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" in 2022?

When "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" was created in 2022, Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey - born in 1959 - was 63 years old.

How does "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" fit into Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey's themes and style?

"Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" shares with Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey's other works its Contemporary Conceptual Art style and the recorded themes: ecology & time, indigenous knowledge, climate action focus, place-based storytelling, living photographic medium, collaboration with elders, bridging past & future, ackroyd & harvey's experimentation.

Where in Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey's career does "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" fall, given its date?

"Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney", created in 2022, belongs to the Contemporary of Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey's career.

How does "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" by Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey connect Contemporary Conceptual Art to the artist's home country?

"Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" connects the Contemporary Conceptual Art movement with United Kingdom through its creator's birthplace.

What is the creation date of "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" by Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey?

"Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" by Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey was created in 2022.

Can "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" by Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey, held at the Biennale of Sydney, be legally reproduced?

The copyright status of "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" by Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey is clear: the work is still protected by copyright. Its presence at the Biennale of Sydney does not change that status.

Who created "Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney"?

"Uncle Charles “Chicka” Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney; Lille Madden / Wanstead Reserve, Cooks River, Sydney" was created by Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey. The information on this page describes Heather Ackroyd And Dan Harvey's original work.

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