Whispers Wall

as part of Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses

Megan Cope’s sculptural installation crafted from thousands of oyster shells, each meticulously cleaned by hand, makes reference to the ancestral middens that were built from the accumulated shell waste of Australia’s First Nations people over thousands of years.

Whispers Wall has been transplanted to the Gallery from the ocean. The work connects shared narratives and kinships to the saltwater world and is a reminder of the environmental challenges facing our oceans today.

In creating the Diploria coat that connects with Whispers Wall, Iris van Herpen took inspiration from the coral species Diploria labyrinthiformis, also known as brain coral, due to the resemblance of its folds to grey matter, the outermost layer of the human brain. Typically found in shades of yellow, tan or grey, Diploria supports a diversity of marine life by being a foundational, reef-building coral responsible for creating biodiverse and rich environments for many other reef species to thrive.

From the ‘Escapism’ collection, the silvery-grey coat is asymmetric, with one half recalling a coral outcrop, while the other suggests sunlight playfully catching the ocean waves above, and also references hanging behind, the oyster shell mantle of hard calcium carbonate with the smoothness of its pearlescent interior. To create the lustrous sheen of the fabric, metal yarns have been woven with black silk thread in opposite directions, the hand-pleated fabric then draped and stitched to form a shimmering garment of two complementary textures.

Together, Cope and van Herpen’s works offer a commentary on the interconnectedness of humans and nature, inviting us to reflect on our relationship with the environment.

Megan Cope, Whispers Wall, 2023, oyster shells, steel cables and Iris van Herpen, Diploria coat from the ‘Escapism’ collection, 2011, polyester-cotton blend with metal thread. Installation view, Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses, QAGOMA, Meanjin/Brisbane, 2023.