fortune

fortune
Kinly Grey

Exhibited in Open Actions at Enoggera Reservoir, Brisbane
5th-12th November, 2018

“Search for a glimpse of fortune, a new site specific work by Kinly Grey. Distance, perspective, and reflective material combine in the breeze, in an optimistic ode to the future, past, and the state of things as they are.” – Open Actions, 2018.

Installed on the dam wall at the Enoggera Reservoir, fortune encouraged viewers to discover their own sight-lines through the landscape. Made from reflective mylar and tent poles, fortune flapped easily on the breeze, bending to the whim of the air currents. The reflective material and resistance-less form made for a visually elusive structure, at once blending into the landscape, and glittering strikingly in the sunlight. 

fortune is a poetic contemplation of happenstance, or the state of things as they are. Like many of my works, fortune uses form to create demonstrative metaphor – this time with the shiny tail and its dance on the air. The emphasis on individual viewer perspectives, distance, and time in regarding the work, are quite direct in the symbolism of one’s perspective on life, foresight, distance (time) and understanding in time (hindsight). In tone, there is a sombre element to the work, but also one of optimism, or hope. Like its namesake, however, the work is not concerned with judgement concepts of good and bad, instead it continues its dance on the currents of what is. 

Points of inspiration for fortune were found in PJ Harvey’s song “Good Fortune”, the Ace of Wands tarot card that I found on the ground walking to work one day, and also falling in love, but trying to be mature about it. 

Open Actions was produced by people+artist+place, with support from Brisbane City Council, SEQ Water, and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.