The Lachlan: Blue-Gold

Abstract

[Introduction]: The Lachlan: Blue-Gold is an exhibition celebrating the complexity of a river, its catchment and people. Its beginnings were founded in the Environment Studio at the National Institute of the Arts, ANU, where opportunities are provided for students and staff to explore environmental issues through art. Field trips associated with the Environment Studio produce artworks that are responses to regional landscapes. It is believed that these works to strengthen the identification of people with the regions in which they live, with positive outcomes in terms of contributing to a sense of, and pride in, place. The exhibition gathered momentum through the financial support of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) and the National Institute for Environment, ANU. The Lachlan: Blue-Gold is part of a larger landscape of work evolving out of the Australian National University this year through the collaborative initiative H2003. For this, scientists, artists and social scientists are creating art, delivering lectures and workshops, engaging in dialogue and generating public education opportunities around the theme of water.