Tephra is an immersive sound and sculpture installation which delves into the volcanic history of the Greater Blue Mountains Region. The first solo exhibition from western Sydney artists and sisters, Caitlin Dubler and Natasha Dubler, brings together their respective backgrounds in silversmithing, glass and music to explore gestures of listening and touch. Their installations are experiential and multisensory, often with a focus on revealing the unheard or unseen narratives embedded within sites.
The exhibition title, Tephra, draws from a material fragmentation produced by volcanic eruption where rock and glassy particles scatter and incorporate into the geologic strata. From the basalt-capped peaks of Mount Wilson and Mount Tomah, down to the Colo River, the artists trace the geological processes which continually shape and reshape the landscape. Fragmenting and layering are reflected in the artists’ experimental studio practice spanning fused glass, concrete, electroformed bronze and sound. This installation engages audiences of all ages in a multisensory experience, exploring local geologic histories on a molecular scale.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Natasha Dubler is a multidisciplinary artist working across sound installation, music performance and sculpture. Her work looks at how resonance as a material phenomenon can mould and shape landscape at or below the Earth’s surface, and how memories of these subtle shifts are etched into the material histories of a site.
Caitlin Dubler is a trained silversmith and glass artist exploring material histories through craft processes. She looks to the molecular and chemical composition of materials and their expressions of colour and texture. Within the heat of the kiln, volcanic temperatures shift and rearrange molecules, creating intimate encounters with the metallurgical.