TURNING the Tide – turtles and marine plastic is a six-week Aboriginal or Quandamooka art exhibition and series of public workshops highlighting the deadly impact of plastic pollution on turtles in Southern Moreton Bay beginning next Saturday on Russell Island.
It is estimated 30 per cent or 15,000 of the world's three species of turtles die each year from ingesting plastic.
Featuring art by Quandamooka Murris and local artists Narelle Renn and Karen Benjamin the exhibition will be held in Russell Island's Recreation Hall adjacent to the ferry terminal from Saturday, August 22 until Saturday, October 3.
Sponsors are the Queensland Government and Redland City Council through the Regional Arts Development Fund and supporters Stradbroke Ferries, SMBI Coastcare, SEQ Catchments, the Salt Water Murris Quandamooka Aboriginal Arts Gallery on North Stradbroke Island and the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation.
Turtles are important to Aboriginal people being a vital part of their complex cultural relationship.
North Stradbroke's traditional Aboriginal owners from Minjerribah have created a special collection of art works titled 'Saltwater – Turtles sea country' or 'Binkinjen djagan yarabin' to help people understand Aboriginal rights to sea country.
Ms Benjamin creates heat-fused plastic art and Ms Renn plastic assemblages to point up the damage to turtles and the environment our plastic refuse creates.
This Saturday's exhibition will feature the Yulu Burri Ba dancers, guest speakers, hands-on workshops, art and environment stalls and live music.
Other features are workshops each Saturday afternoon, screening of the film 'Bag It' at 6.30pm Thursday evening September 3, a QandA forum at 6.30pm on Thursday, September 10 and a Clean Up Cobby Cobby Island on Sunday, September 20 with Queensland National Parks, SMBI Coastcare and Clean Up Australia.
The exhibition is open from 2pm to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday.
