Au Karem Ira Lamar Lu – Ghost Nets of the Ocean
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A marine ecology installation created by Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous collaborating artists from Erub Arts on Erub (Darnley Island), Torres Strait, Australia.
Made from abandoned fishing nets and recycled plastics, these ghost nets are colourful woven sculptures featuring an outrigger canoe, fish, turtles, squid and jellyfish.
These works show peoples connections to the sea and inspire awareness of ocean pollution, recycling and promote conservation of the marine environment.
A seemingly harmless piece of discarded fishing net, left to drift in the ocean can strangle a sea turtle travelling to its nesting ground. Sharks, fish and other marine life all over the world have also suffered similar fates through entanglement in fishing nets.
“The ocean holds all mankind together, we are all connected by it and we must look after it.”
Florence Gutchen, Erub Artist
Au Karem Ira Lamar Lu - Ghost Nets of the Ocean exhibition is the largest collection of ghost net art in the Southern Hemisphere. Many of these works have previously been displayed at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore and the Tarnanthi Festival, AGSA.
Featuring colourful woven sculptures of turtles, sharks, sardines, coral and more, they carry a message from the Torres Strait for the world to heed: the oceans are connected to everyone. Humans everywhere are affecting the world's oceans.
What is a 'ghost net'?
Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been lost at sea, abandoned or discarded when they have become damaged. Along with sharks, turtles and other marine life, hard and soft coral reefs are also damaged by discarded entangled nets. Ghost nets are part of a larger problem that adds thousands of tonnes of plastic to the marine environment every year. These nets continue to float with the ocean currents, entangling marine wildlife and invisibly and silently killing - hence the term 'ghost' net.
Ghost Nets of the Ocean was created by artists from Erub Arts, Erub (Darnley Island), and non-Indigenous collaborating artists to highlight the irreparable harm that discarded nets cause, and to provoke reflection on how humans are affecting the world's oceans.
"My artwork gives me the opportunity to express the things that are important to me, my identity, and my culture."
Jimmy J Thaiday, Erub Artist
Blue Striped Snapper. It comprises of a ghost net drape full of golden snapper fish with blue stripes. The backing is a clear net, with the snapper being predominately yellow in colour with four blue stripes. Each fish has a grey and white face and a white belly.
ANMM Collection
Seu (large male turtle). It comprises ghost net male turtle with a yellow underside. There are a number of barnacles attached to the underside of the turtle. The shell is green and blue in colour. The neck of this turtle is longer and slightly elongated, and the head is quite large with a bulbous chin. Around the outer edge of the shell there are two (2) thick, tightly bound lines of nets which run the complete rim of the shell. This turtle has an easily identifiable tail.
Au Wiri (mullet). It comprises of a black ghost net fish which resembles a mullet. The core structure of the mullet is visible through the fishing net and comprises of an olive green, rigid, plastic based material. There are several layers of coloured netting over the structure, including black, yellow, khaki and a top layer of white. The mullet has a wide open mouth which is featured using a thick layer of white netting.
ANMM Collection
Blue Swimmer Crab Sculpture, Lynette Griffiths, 2018. This object is comprised by a soft sculpture depicting a crab made from discarded nets at sea from different colours, including dark and light blue, orange, green, aqua, oatmeal, clear and black. The sculpture’s surface has different patterns created by the nets which are woven tight so the filling of further nets is tightly secured.
Australian National Maritime Museum Collection
Tup-Sardines. It comprises of a ghost net drape full of sardines. The sardines are all swimming in one direction but form various patterns. The backing is a clear net, with the sardines being white, teal green and black in colour.
Protecting our oceans
Some pieces of plastic debris can last for centuries and travel huge distances in the ocean. Whereas most plastic quickly decays into micropellets, which cause their own problems for marine ecosystems. Creating artwork such as the jellyfish is environmental activism raising awareness about marine life of Erub such as the jellyfish.
The Torres Strait is known for its dangerous waters and local islanders always check if it is good time to swim especially around jellyfish or ‘stinger season’. Appropriate swimwear such as t-shirt and shorts is always recommended when swimming in the Torres Strait and conventional swimwear is not considered appropriate. Fishing nets are made from nylon which is a type of plastic called polyamide. Polyamide is a general term given to any polymer linked amide group.
At the Australian National Maritime Museum, we’re working to save our oceans for future generations with new programs on marine environmental sustainability and ocean science (SOS). Actions we’ve taken to reduce our impact include phasing out single-use plastics throughout the museum and installing the second largest set of solar panels in Sydney on the roof of Wharf 7.
Can you make a change and help save our oceans?
"Ghost net is a real menace to marine life. When you see the reef, you want to protect it. You want to pick up things and do something and make something out of it, anything and also something for yourself too."
Racy Oui-Pitt, Erub Artist
Au Karem Ira Lamar Lu - Ghost Nets of the Ocean exhibition is part of the National Maritime Collection, and has been purchased through the Australian Maritime Foundation with the assistance of the Sid Faithfull and Christine Sadler program supporting contemporary Indigenous maritime heritage in Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands, the Hon Justice Anthe Philippides JA and Peter Dexter AM.