A reoccurring theme in my art practice is the idea of ‘desire lines’. In urban and transport planning ‘desire lines’ refer to the unofficial paths that collective feet make through the landscape over time. These well-trodden paths are both subversive, being illicit, and conversely, the path of least resistance. Desire Lines are paths that form themselves and are evidence of both humanity and the impact of humans in the environment.

Like many Canberrans, I regularly visit Canberra’s nature parks and reserves and in early 2022, I started going to Trig Points more methodically and using these journeys, to extend the desire lines theme, both literally and as a subject of my art practice. Trig Points are the structures that mark the highest place on a hill or mountain. There is over 100 Trig Points spread across the ACT, 88 of which are accessible to the public.

Some of these Trig Points are easy to find; a 30-minute stroll along a well-trodden, well-known suburban path. However, some of these points, like the high points in life’s journey, are less easy to navigate. All require active travel, an act of rebellion against the status quo, in the form of self-propulsion. At some point in the journey to a Trig Point, you must step away from the car and walk or ride a bike. This exhibition will include a selection of paintings based on my Trig point journeys and the related ‘desire lines’ theme.