Stowaways
2019
Concrete, fluorescent twine, galvanized bucket
16x12 inches
Moulded from accumulations of clamshells in Burrard Inlet, these concrete bivalves reference how global trade facilitates the transplant of animals and plants among continents. The sudden introduction of exotics into a marine ecosystem can cause strong interaction with native species. ‘Stowaways’ tells the story of the invasive Manilla or Japanese littleneck clam that originally came by ship to British Columbia in the 1930s. It has become the most widely harvested bivalve on the west coast, being preferred in aquaculture for its rapid growth. ‘Stowaways’ speaks also to the once abundance of native clams, of Coast Salish middens and clam gardens. The concrete fills the negative space of the encroached ecosystem, signifying an absence.