Red-eared Slider 2016

This exhibition highlights the environmental impacts of invasive species on waterways. The Red-eared Slider Turtle, is common and native to the United States but feral in many countries across the globe, including countries with close connections to the artist, Thailand, and Australia.

Known as the ‘Japanese Turtle’ in Thailand as it was introduced by Japanese traders and is extremely good at adapting to new environments.  Unfortunately, many pet owners of the Red-Eared Slider release them into the local waterways where their aggressive behaviour threaten freshwater Thai turtles, competing with them for food, nests, and territory. Indigenous turtles have no immunity to parasites and diseases carried by Red-Eared Slider and as a feral animal they are disrupting the ecology of the local waterways. In addition, this natural disaster, Red-Eared Slider turtles can live for a long time which means they pose a longstanding threat.

Srivilasa shares his life between Bangkok and Melbourne. In this body of work, the Red-Eared Slider symbolises human disregard for their environment and the artist’s ongoing expression of his cultural identity and belonging. Srivilasa’s sculptural works are mute, literally having no mouths. Instead, communication of ideas and concepts is achieved through body language and decorative elements on the figures he makes.

The Red-eared Slider exhibition exemplifies Srivilasa’s dynamic balance of astute social observation with personal imagination; a distinguishing factor in his contemporary ceramics.