Carta

2022 - Venice, Italy

Carta is the third of the Hydro Trinity works. Carta, meaning map in Italian, references the cartography of Venice in Italy.

Approaching the idea of human and nature in relation to the trio, that meaning ideas of collective and community, Carta Canal explores the use waterways as a navigational aspect of everyday life for the people in Venice. The work looks as how canals and cartography offer a consistent familiarity with nature which is often lost for those in a typical metropolitan city or town.

Making this work alongside artists Nancy-Violet Downs and Jane Scobie, the trio in art making was practiced. Collaboratively adding elements and outlining their own feet served as an exploration of the collective and the changes of our thoughts on natural environments as a group or in relation to a larger community.

Relating this imagery into performance, Annabelle Keyes made land drawings on the agricultural island of Sant'Erasmo next to Venice, mapping from memory.

Performance photograph and drawing collage.

Influenced at first by the constant presence of canals throughout walks around Venice, the work began as cartographical drawings, mapping routes in relation to the canals and bridges, plotting the self in the centre and seeing the space from a birds eye view.

The canals, originally natural canals around small islands in the 5th century, were built around and utilised symbiotically for transportation of materials and people.

The main findings of these works revolve around the importance of familiarity and close-contact between human routine and nature. It can be said that in Venice, canals and humans cohabitate. In place of man made road, there is water, and the water is flowing and uncontrollable. It is a constant reminder of the vast and differing life outside of buildings, infrastructure, occupations, and all other man-made entities.