ROSA MAR
SPANISH AUSTRALIAN VISUAL ARTIST I PUBLIC ART & PLACEMAKING I ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/FOUNDER OF CURRENTS OF PRACTICE
Currents of Practice 2025 Exhibition & Conversations Publication
The Currents of Practice 2025 e-book and paperback publication are now launched.
This inaugural edition documents the artists, reflections and ecological conversations shaped through last year’s World Wetlands Day program at Coolart Wetlands. Follow the link for more information or to purchase a copy.
STAY TUNED FOR THE 2027 WORLD WETLANDS DAY EXHIBITION & PUBLIC PROGRAM
STAY TUNED FOR THE 2027 WORLD WETLANDS DAY EXHIBITION & PUBLIC PROGRAM
Late January - February, 2, 2025 the inaugural Currents of Practice: World Wetlands Day Art Exhibition & Conversations came to life at Coolart Wetlands and Homestead under the direction of artist and curator Rosa Mar Tato Ortega.
Born from a long-held vision to use art as a catalyst for ecological awareness, the project brought together artists, scientists, and the community to explore the entangled relationships between place, creativity, and stewardship. Over three days, site-responsive installations, performances, poetry, and conversations animated Coolart’s Ramsar-listed wetlands, offering new ways of seeing and engaging with this vital landscape.
Currents of Practice is proudly supported by the Mornington Penisula Shire’s Community Investment Sponsorship program.
To follow the evolution of Currents of Practice and receive notice when the inaugural e-book is published, visit and follow @currents.of.practice on Instagram.
Jika Jika
Community Centre Public Art Commission
De-Fence Against Loneliness is a site-responsive public artwork commissioned by Jika Jika Community Centre and funded by the Victorian Government’s Living Local Suburban Development program.
The project reimagined a high, exclusionary fence as a welcoming threshold, transforming a quiet residential intersection into a vibrant, communal space.
Functional elements include a sculptural, laser-cut street library; layered gateways and thresholds that encourage movement and gathering; and interpretive signage embedded
with historical motifs. Light, shadow, and materiality animate the space—inviting people to pause, play, and engage.
What makes this project truly remarkable is its social impact.
We’ve seen a noticeable increase in visitors and diversity of use: families, children, older residents, and newcomers now feel this is a place for them. Events have begun to spill into the outdoor areas. The project has changed how the neighbourhood sees us—and how we see ourselves. “We used to be hidden behind a fence—now people stop, connect, and feel welcome. The artwork has become part of our identity, De-Fence Against Loneliness demonstrates that thoughtful, well-executed public a a community drive public art project can change not just a space, but the life of a community.’
Susan Rennie - Manager
Public art that turns barriers into gateways for community life.
Reimagining fences as places of identity, welcome, and shared stories.
CREATIVE CONSULTING, REACTIVATING & MARKETING
'Live where you fear to live' is an artist & small business support program all about empowering & supporting artists become storytellers and attracting opportunities.
The ultimate aim is to establish a satisfying and financially sustainable arts practice and business.
