Australians are custodians of fragile ecosystems, that are less visible but no less important, and it is their responsibility to protect them against biodiversity loss, preserving unique flora and fauna above and below seas for future generations to enjoy. Resurfacing Coral Cays in Clay is a call to arms to reflect on how Australia’s contribution to global warming not only affects humans directly but on vulnerable ecosystems that escape our daily attention by re-materialising part of the Great Barrier Reef. Given the difficulty of understanding the momentous scale of bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef and other Australian Reefs, and the nature of it being hidden under the waters, this exhibit will bring to surface an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ issue in terms of geographical strata as well as location.

The exhibit’s concept is congruent with the process of fabrication and materiality in its execution. Through the use of sustainable materials such as clay, the exhibit aims to highlight that sustainability is not a theoretical concept but requires consistent approaches in the design process and fabrication.