ResearchOnline@JCU This file is part of the following reference: Mac Donald, Terri (2013) Living with the enemy. PhD thesis, James Cook University. Access to this file is available from: http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/40606/ The author has certified to JCU that they have made a reasonable effort to gain permission and acknowledge the owner of any third party copyright material included in this document. If you believe that this is not the case, please contact [email protected] and quote http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/40606/ LIVING WITH THE ENEMY Thesis submitted by TERRI MAC DONALD (BVA HONS) James Cook University in October 2013 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Arts and Social Sciences James Cook University STATEMENT OF ACCESS I, the undersigned, author of this work, understand that James Cook University will make this thesis available for use within the University Library and, via the Australian Digital Theses network, for use elsewhere. I understand that, as an unpublished work, a thesis has significant protection under the Copyright Act and I do not wish to place any further restriction on access to this work. 30/09/13 Signature Date ii ELECTRONIC COPY I, the undersigned, the author of this work, declare that the electronic copy of this thesis provided to the James Cook University Library is an accurate copy of the print thesis submitted, within the limits of the technology available. 30/09/13 Signature Date iii STATEMENT OF SOURCES DECLARATION I declare that this thesis is my own work and has not been submitted in any form for another degree or diploma at any university or other institution of tertiary education. Information derived from the published or unpublished work of others has been acknowledged in the text and a list of references is given. 30/09/13 Signature Date iv STATEMENT ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF OTHERS Nature of Assistance Contribution Names, Titles (if relevant) and Affiliations of Co-Contributors Intellectual Support Proposal writing & thesis Prof Diana Davis supervision Practical works co- Dr Bob Preston supervision Lisa MacNaughton Support on sourcing and preparation of specimens Dr Chris Tideman (ANU), Jo Wieneke and Marion Gaemers, (Tropical Museum of North Queensland) Consultants on zoological Dr Peter Arnold, Dr John works & specimen Dowe, Consultancy on practical Dr Anne Lord, Mr Ron works McBurnie, Peter Lancaster, Dr Jill O’Sullivan. Volunteering of subjective Mr Rick Turner narrative accounts Mrs Glennis MacDonald Ms Sue Baggast Ms Michelle Kotzas Dr Jill O’Sullivan Mrs Susan Young Ms Bronwyn Goodfellow Ms Lisa MacNaughton Mrs Glady Vass Ms Kath Andrews Ms Sharon Isle Financial Support Field research College of Music, Visual Arts and Theatre (COMVAT) Stipend Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) v COPYRIGHT STATEMENT REGARDING USE OF IMAGES Images from sources other than my original photographs and works are used for research and review and comply with the fair dealing provisions in copyright laws for research and review provisions within the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The Australian Copyright Council Advises that the Copyright Act 1968 allows for Fair dealing for research or study Use of copyright material for the purpose of research or study will not infringe copyright, provided the use is “fair”. The Copyright Act states that if you use less than a certain amount of a copyright item for research or study, the use is to be fair. If the amount used exceeds these limits, the Act sets out number of factors to be taken into account to work out whether the use of the material is “fair”. This provision is discussed in our information sheet Research or study. Fair dealing for criticism or review. People can use copyright material for the purpose of criticism or review without infringing copyright provided they acknowledge the author and title of the work, and provided the dealing is “fair”. The criticism or review may relate to the work being used or to other material. For example, television film reviewers may show clips from other films as well as the one they are reviewing, in making their criticism or review. Australian Copyright Council INFORMATION SHEET G079v05 www.copyright.org.au/admin/cms.../8452777034d001ee11eb7c.pdf Accessed 24.07.2013. In addition, most images used in this thesis are sourced from Creative Commons sites and/or are in the Public Domain. All sources for images have been fully referenced and all artists (if known) acknowledged. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have been constantly surprised and gratified by the many people who have cheerfully given me their unwavering support, expertise and encouragement with this project. Firstly, I wish to express my gratitude to Professor Diana Davis for her supervisory expertise and guidance during this research project; her advice has been invaluable. Also instrumental as a co-supervisor was Dr Bob Preston, who gave generously of his time, provided considerable expertise and much needed constructive criticism, and penned the curatorial essay for the exhibition. I thank the School of Arts, Education and Social Sciences for their support of my candidature and in particular, Adjunct Professor Rosamund Thorpe. Due to the nature of this research, I have at times called upon the knowledge and assistance of many others external to the research process. In particular, I wish to thank Dr Chris Tideman and the helpful staff at the Australian National University (Canberra) who provided the Indian Mynah specimens, and the Zoology department at James Cook University for the loan of specimens and assistance in photographing the non-Mynah bone specimens. Recognition and appreciation must also go to Jo Wieneke and Marion Gaemers, who expertly preserved the Mynah skins and bone specimens for me. I also wish to express my appreciation to Councillor Jack Wilson, Dr Peter Arnold, Dr John Dowe, Anne Lord, Ron McBurnie, Peter Lancaster, Jan Graham, COMVAT administrative staff, Frances Thompson, Amber Church, Jo Lankaster, Kate Farah, the staff of Perc Tucker Gallery, the Townsville City Council, Robert Barton and Adrienne Cerutti. A special thanks, however, must go to my friends and colleagues, who have selflessly provided never-ending support and advice: Lisa MacNaughton, Dr Sue Albanus, Trish Nixon-Smith, Donna Foley, Jenny Mellick and, in particular, Dr Jill O’Sullivan, who has ink in her veins and understands the glow of a good piece of vellum. vii ABSTRACT This research encompasses seemingly divergent disciplines, including scientific ethics, social science studies, environmental history, public policy and creative arts. It finds that, where there has been a vacuum that cannot be addressed through the established methodology of mainstream research frameworks, the use of practice based research has provided an alternative pathway for the exploration and resolution of research questions, expanding existing knowledge and developing new research pathways. This has necessitated the development of new skills and knowledge to resolve problems and more effectively integrate the theoretical and practical elements of the project. Ultimately, this research proposes a revised visual methodology via integrating visuacy into social research while, from a practice base, it has both rediscovered and reinterpreted a traditional medium. Hence, visual strategies are employed in order to probe societal perceptions of ubiquitous, introduced species that engender strong, albeit divergent, emotional reactions. The research also reviews the influence perceptions have on environmental management and public policy, and questions the validity of these perceptions in relation to scientific fact. It also examines why some species are vilified, while others (often far more destructive) are ignored, or even encouraged. The methodology focuses on a selection of four introduced, ubiquitous species endemic in suburban areas of the Townsville/Thuringowa region. These are the feral/stray cat, the Common Indian Mynah bird, the Asian house gecko and the Cane Toad. In order to both evaluate and challenge popular perceptions of these species, artworks that both reflect and contest common perceptions of the selected subjects (through a visual framework that presents the four subjects in both objective and subjective styles) are exhibited for public review and reaction. The objective works emphasise the aesthetics of biology and form through the style of natural history illustration, with reference to the great illustrators of the viii 17th – 19th centuries. In contrast, the subjective works are derived from the encounters that people have had with these species, presenting them in a style of heightened narrative. Perspectives are slightly surreal, underpinning the emotional underpinning of the entire experience. The artworks were exhibited at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in 2004. Visitor reactions to the works were recorded via the Visitor book in the gallery; these were analysed to provide feedback on the extent to which the artworks had achieved their aim of both representing, and challenging, perceptions of the subjects. In terms of art practice, the practical works also provided an opportunity for experimentation with a variety of media and techniques. The artworks were in a variety of media, with paintings (in watercolour, gouache), fine art prints (lithographs and etchings) and drawings. Of these, the most notable works proved to be those on vellum. Once a traditional support of natural history artists and derived from animal skin, it is now a medium rarely used except by a few specialist artists (mostly in botanical illustration). No contemporary zoological artists were found to work on vellum although, historically, it was once popular. Used extensively throughout the exhibition, this research determined the most appropriate applications and techniques for working on vellum as well as the types of vellum best suited to painting. In applying visual methodologies, this research provides an alternative pathway for research via a creative arts framework (in this case, the application of visuacy). Specifically, the research questions the impact of public perceptions on environmental management and public policy through alternative methodologies.