This project is being developed on the traditional lands and waters of the Awabakal and Worimi people. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal Land.

Overall Concept Statement

‘Intertidal’ is an inter-disciplinary collaborative Art project which aims to explore the rapidly evolving physical, social, personal, and political environments of Newcastle.

The project pivots on the central theme of ‘Intertidal zones’ – The areas between high and low tide marks. Organisms which live in these zones must deal with dynamic environmental conditions and are in a constant state of flux; submerged in water and exposed to air, physical impact of waves, desiccation, sun exposure, flood and storm surges. They must be resilient in order to survive the ever increasing effects of human intervention and climate change.

Using this metaphor, ‘intertidal’ looks to explore subjects which are positioned at or between extremes, exist in a state of constant flux and are thriving in harsh environments.

The project celebrates the inherent queerness, determinism and magic of nature, and explores ideas of identity, gender, community, resilience and transience.

The project output will be a collaborative body of work consisting of photographs, video, sculpture and installation.

What is Intertidal?

Project Status:

Under Development

Current Phase:

• Research and Conceptual Development
• Key species: Catfish, Beach Worms, Flathead, Limpets, Seaweed, Cormorants.
• Key Intertidal environments: Rock shelves surrounding the bogie hole, cottage creek, Hunter River, Nobbys Beach, Kooragang island
• Identifying Project Collaborators
• Commissioning of custom project elements

More info, see Instagram @its.chrisbrown

This series was created back while I was at Uni. I was experimenting heavily with film based photography and double exposures. Double exposures presented me with an opportunity to explore immersive, uninterrupted visual planes to create works that felt surreal and vulnerable.

See What Happens was developed during a period of grief and loss. At first glance, they feel weightless and light, as if I am free falling through space. In reality, the poses were actually very painful and injurious – a direct physical articulation of what i was enduring emotionally.

These works were exhibited at the pop up project “NANA Gallery” , Hunter St Newcastle, June 2015

These images were created in collaboration with Creative Director and Stylist, Caitlin Orlena alongside her short film “Existential”.

The COVID19 Collection was produced in collaboration with my partner Adam, who created two pairs of fisherman’s pants. One pair is made out of a fabric called Gabardine. Gabardine was first invented by Thomas Burberry, founder of Burberry Fashion House. Gabardine was used by polar explorers in 1911. The other pair is made of curtain material.