Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro

Our painting is a riff on Shikunshi (‘Chinese honeysuckle’) by woodblock artist Kōno Bairei, taken from the 1901 book Kusa bana hyakushu. The Chinese honeysuckle is an invasive species that was introduced to Australia in the early 19th century. We have painted this pretty pest onto a discarded, crushed energy drink can. It is our trashy version of a tea ceremony accoutrement. Historically, ceramic drinking vessels were decorated with picturesque landscapes or stylised flowers, designed as objects to be held and meditated upon. Our painting evokes a scene experienced while walking along the road after our car ran out of petrol.