Ryan Andrew Lee
Temples of Doom, 2022
Single channel video, 5120x2144
39:43 mins
Created in residency for the 2021 BigCi Environmental Award
Artist Statement
Temples of Doom is a moving image work that engages the issue of endangered pagoda rock formations and sacred First Nations rock-art sites in the recently announced Gardens of Stone State Conservation area of the Greater Blue Mountains.
The work exposes the irreparable damage caused by Centennial Coal Companies' Angus Place and Mount Airly Mines, as well as the abandoned Baal Bone Colliery. These ancient sandstone and ironstone pagoda structures which took around one million years to form each 8 m of their height, are exhibiting subsidence cracks, and many are completely collapsing due to the tunnelling and extraction of coal 250-300 m directly below the surface. The anthropogenic deterioration of these unique rock structures are also leading to Aboriginal rock art sites situated in caves or under escarpments such as Maiyingu Marragu, at risk of being destroyed.
The title of the work adopts the name of one of the locations of pagodas in the Lidsdale area. Now, ironically and unfortunately, this is becoming a fitting name for the entire area. The title alludes that it's only a matter of time before all of these pagoda landscapes would be destroyed forever.
The work questions the cogency and efficacy of the NSW government's environmental protection 'State Conservation Area' category, which claims to protect a natural area whilst still allowing detrimental mining operations to continue, destroying several million-year-old irreplaceable rock formations and endangering many sacred Aboriginal rock art sites.
Acquisitions
2022 Temples of Doom 2022, BigCi Bilpin International Grounds for Creative Initiatives
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 NotFair, curated by Linsey Gosper, Art Lease Gallery, South Yarra, VIC
2023 In The Ruins I See The Future, curated by Jake Treacy, Incinerator Gallery Melbourne VIC
2023 Wollumbin Art Award Exhibition, curated by Meredith Cusack, Tweed Regional Gallery NSW
2023 LRG Night's: Summer, curated by Linsey Gosper, Lismore Regional Gallery NSW
2022 Gosford Art Prize, curated by Jasmine Kean, Gosford Regional Gallery
2022 Promise the Earth, curated by Meryl Ryan & Naomi Riddle, The Lock-Up, Newcastle NSW
2022 Lethbridge Landscape Prize, curated by Simone Linssen, Lethbridge Gallery Paddington QLD
2022 BigCi Environmental Award Bilpin International Grounds for Creative Initiatives, curated by Rae Bolotin, BigCi Bilpin NSW
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 First Draft, curated by Jesse Rye, First Draft Gallery Wooloomooloo, Sydney NSW
2022 Untitled, curated by Inga Hanover, Wangaratta Art Gallery, Wangaratta VIC
Awards
2023 Wollumbin Art Award Finalist
2022 Gosford Art Prize Finalist
2022 Lethbridge Landscape Prize Finalist
2022 BigCi Environmental Award (residency)
Acknowledgments
Temples of Doom was filmed at various locations on Wiradjuri and Dharug Country and depicts the lands of the Wiradjuri and and Dharug peoples. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians upon whose unceded land this work was realised, pay respect to their Elders past and present and extend our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from all nations of this land.
Big thankyou to Rae and Yuri Bolotin as well as The Lithgow Environmental Group for the ongoing support and mentorship. This work was overseen and fact-checked by Yuri Bolotin and The Lithgow Environmental Group.