SAMMY HAWKER

From 2022-3 I was very fortunate to be a part of Project Alchemy - a residency program designed by Rebus Theatre that brought together 15 artists from across South-East Australia. During this residency I created 64 tree chromatograms for communities affected by the 2019/20 bushfires. These chromatograms exhibited at the National Museum of Australia in May 2024 - accompanying the premiere performance of Andrew Ford’s Red Dirt Hymns at the Canberra International Music Festival.

To make these chromatograms I invited people living across Canberra, Braidwood and along the NSW South Coast to deliver me a few leaves (or a small piece of bark) and a story of a local tree* that felt special to them. Some trees had burnt down in the fires - only ashen stumps remaining. Some were trees that had been felled by the logging industry decimating forests along the South Coast. Some were from proud trees, hundreds of years old and still standing - home to a whole variety of creatures.

The variety and vibrancy of these tree chromatograms has been extraordinary. The stories that have been shared have been deeply moving and it makes me reflect on how meaningful trees are in our lives - quiet witnesses to our experiences of birth, death, relationship breakdowns, spiritual breakthroughs and the general passing of life.

* trees from Ngunawal, Ngunnawal, Ngambri, Walbunja & Yuin Country.