Arrivals and Departures, 2011
Arrivals and Departures (2011) is an environmental video artwork by Australian artist Debbie Symons exploring the impact of invasive species on biodiversity loss in Australia.
The work examines the ecological consequences of introducing non-native species, focusing on four key examples: the fox, rabbit, cane toad, and Indian myna bird. These species were introduced for human purposes, yet have had profound and lasting impacts on native ecosystems.
Installation image of Arrivals and Departures, a data-based artwork exploring invasive species and biodiversity loss.
Presented as a six-minute video, Arrivals and Departures juxtaposes statistical data on hundreds of threatened animal and plant species with the population growth of these invasive species. The work adopts the visual language of an airport arrivals and departures board, framing ecological change as a movement of species – arrival and disappearance.
This structure highlights the direct relationship between human intervention and environmental decline. By visualising cause and effect, the work reflects on the long-term consequences of seemingly simple decisions, exposing the ethical and ecological complexities of species introduction.
Exhibition history for Arrivals and Departures
2112 Imagining the Future, RMIT University Gallery, Swanston Street, Melbourne, November 25, 2011 – January 28, 2012.
Arrivals and Departures, Trocadero Art Space, Level 1, 119 Hopkins Street, Footscray, VIC. Dates July 6 to July 23, 2011