ART / PHOTO / VOICE / MOTION

I'm a diverse visual practitioner, activist, shameless tree hugger and cinematic cubist artist.

 

I work with Nature to create worlds full of beautiful, hybrid, abject monstrosities that seduce, beguile and disturb. I am fascinated by myths that demonise difference and work in distorted realities, photographing under-represented native forests and swamps using a cubist lens, to combine these images with sound, voice and uncanny motion design to create immersive, embodied, kairological cycles to celebrate diverse worldviews. These audio visual artworks challenge dominant colonial cinematic myths which cast the Australian landscape as horrific villain and crimescene to be conquered. My cinematic cubist artworks are lived-experience experiments which suspend disbelief, incite awe, inspire change and empower Nature. These actions contribute to research and development through the ‘Tune:in’ journey. 'Through'  collaborating with Nature, I listen, I sing, I feel, I journey, I create art, exhibit, discuss and 'Know.'

 

My work draws on the theories of Julia Kristeva (Powers of Horror, 1980), Barbara Creed (The Monstrous-Feminine, 1993), Ross Gibson (Figuring Landscapes, 2008) Maureen Murdock (The Heroine's Journey, 1990) and Mykaela Saunders (Everywhen, 2022), and interrogates how Abjection on screens defines social norms. Below is a pdf of my current cv and artist statement, go to my linked in page to read a detailed work history and visit my vimeo page to see my artworks, TV and motion design.

 

Born on the Victorian wheatbelt during Apartheid Australia on the lands of the Tyatyalla and Wotjobaluk people - my mother was Anglo Australian and my father was Māori (Waikato, Ngāti Whāwhākia, Tainui.) Since then I have travelled, lived and worked all over the world. I am a human being - multidimensional and intersectional - Pasifika, NeuroDivergent, NonBinary, Lesbian, Queer -  live, love and toil on the lands of the Palawa people in nipaluna, lutruwita (Hobart, Tasmania.)

 

I am deeply grateful to the Quandamooka, Yuggera, Turrbal, Yugarabul, Jagera and Yugambeh peoples in South East Queensland for their generous gifts during my journey.

 

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Download
Merri's current CV
MerriRandell-cv-2025-1pg.pdf
Adobe Acrobat Document 69.3 KB
 Photographer: Katie Bennett
Photographer: Katie Bennett