The Sixth Great Extinction
Approx 2000 cubic liters of dried autumn leaves, perspex, rubble, dirt, rubber band, human hair, dog hair, sticks, steel chain, plaster, safety glass, wood, gravel, receipt, nail
A solo installation at the Dunedin School of Art Gallery in November 2011. The cavernous white cube is filled with a layer of dried leaves collected six months prior. This was an effective displacement considering there were no dried leaves to be found outside the gallery at this time of year. Sound and smell were activated as you enter the space and travel the length of the room over the carpet of leaves to reach the next point of interest in the room. Six small custom perspex boxes perch on delicate glass shelves. The display is very minimal and carefully lit, there is no wall text to give clue to the fact the material in five of the boxes has been vicariously collected from perceptual center-points all around the world, while one retains the 'artist hand'.
See http://maxbellamy.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/the-sixth-great-extinction-2/ for more information on this installation.
The Sixth Great Extinction from Max Bellamy on Vimeo.
Here is a time-lapse from the opening night showing the paths people made through the leaves.
The Sixth Great Extinction - Opening Timelapse from Max Bellamy on Vimeo.
