Vanessa Berry

In my work, I use autobiography as a way to connect with social, cultural, environmental and community narratives and histories. This takes the form of autobiographical stories, essays, zines, drawings and hand-drawn maps that combine observational, archival and speculative approaches. In making work about places, material objects, and everyday life, I am attracted to the minor, vernacular, momentary, anachronistic, unexpected, and the overlooked. By bringing attention to these elements, I aim to inspire in readers and viewers a renewed curiosity about the places and objects that surround and sustain us.

Kandos Visitor’s Map is as much a guide for visitors as it is a portrait of the town created by a visitor. It combines Kandos landmarks and idiosyncratic details to chart some of the well-known and lesser-known features of the town. It aims to capture some of the unique qualities of Kandos and to evoke curiosity, act as a trigger for memories and storytelling, and to celebrate the town and its distinctive sites and stories.