Turning the Tide Newsletter – Spring 2024
Fantastical Sharks & Rays: Meet The Artists
The Shark Champions team (AMCS and Humane Society International Australia) have teamed up with the Australian Museum to present the Fantastical Sharks & Rays Exhibition.
Australia’s endemic sharks and rays are among the most endangered in the world. Some of these species are so rarely seen that we have limited knowledge of their biology and exactly what they look like.
Over 1,500 young Australians used the power of their imagination to create artworks to help save our threatened and endangered species.
Ten talented young artists were chosen to spark the creativity of ten of Australia’s leading artists including Ken Done, Jennifer Turpin, Blak Douglas and Rosie Deacon. In September 2024, the remarkable works by the children and artists will take centre stage at an enchanting exhibition merging education, art, culture and science at the esteemed Australian Museum, situated on Gadigal land in Sydney.
Thank you to all the shark champions who entered the competition! You have helped to shine a spotlight on little-known and uniquely Australian species!
Blak Douglas and Ken Done share with us what Fantastical Sharks & Rays means to them.
“I’ve chosen to pay homage to the abundance of petroglyphs dotting the foreshores of the Warrane (‘Sydney Harbour’) and its environs. Imagine that the Cadigal, Birribirrigal, Cameraygal were still prevalent and culturally undisturbed today. If so, we may have bore witness to ‘species specific’ carvings such as this gem – the Eastern Angelshark.”
– BLAK DOUGLAS
“This is a unique project and one that I am immensely looking forward to participating in. If it helps to protect some of the world’s endangered species, that would be a great achievement for us all.”
– KEN DONE
Blak Douglas and Ken Done, are joined by Jonathan Zawada, Jennifer Turpin, Janet Laurence and others.
Special Exhibition
Dive into the fantastical world of sharks and rays, in this special exhibition that shines a light on some of Australia’s unique and most endangered species, opening 7th September 2024.
Fantastical Sharks & Rays opens 7th September at the Australian Museum, Sydney.
Free General Admission.