The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 49 No 3 November 2010

Penaga Leaf showing detail of smaller granite leaves
Photo: Glenn Romanis
left to right: Angela Kasturi. Helen Bodycomb, Glenn
Romanis, Hijjas Kasturi and Dominic Johns on the last day
of work; photo: Dominic Johns
Concept as written by George Fishman
The Shyness of Trees refers to a phenomenon of the rainforest canopy in which abrasion of the
growing tips of individual trees (and possibly the actions of insects) "prune" the trees and prevent
hostile interaction among neighbouring trees. This action causes a visual effect in which an observer
looking up in the forest may see 'rivers' of light streaming through those gaps separating the trees. It
was this negative space the artists incorporated in their composition. Also included in the composition is
an illusory portal that reflects the actual door at the opposite end of the passageway and suggests travel
through place and time, discovery and awakening.
The blue and white discs scattered throughout the composition are the decorative centres of Chinese
bowls, salvaged from a 17th century shipwreck off Vietnam. They also represent the coins purportedly
shot into the forest by British Captain Francis Light at the beginning of Penang's colonial period to
encourage Malay residents to clear the land. Additionally, an array of narrow chromatic gradient strips
in a vivid palette of glass suggests prismatic light effects within the moist air of the rainforest. Both
elements reflect the geometry and colou r of the large stained glass roundels on the flanking wall, part
of the architectural design scheme provided to the artists. The wall mosaic spills onto the archway, side
walls and ceiling engaging the surrounding architecture.
Activating the long granite pavement of the passageway, a meandering course of engraved lines
conjures the Penaga River, now lost to development. It connects the wall and floor elements, creating
an ambiguous continuity, as the 'water' becomes 'air' and 'light' when it encounters the wall. The floor
also contains a large mosaic Penaga leaf insert, made up of smaller stone leaflets. The Penaga tree,
once prevalent, was said to have stained the river red. It is now quite rare in George Town, but has been
included in the owners' landscaping plan.
We made the work using the direct on mesh method, which involves glueing the mosaic material
onto a fibreglass mesh. Under the mesh is a clear plastic sheet that protects the cartoon (design)
underneath. We used a two-part cementitious adhesive (made by Mapei), which consisted of Kerabond
Plus (cement adhesive) mixed with Isolastic (latex liquid). The cartoon was divided into several large
s8 THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS NOVEMBER 2010