A large hole is located outside the front of a house on Teshima island in the community of Kou. Inside the house is a jumble of furniture- tables, cupboards, stools- piled up high. But this furniture is not piled up for storage. Rather the stack is actually the supporting structure that holds together a full-sized Monolophosoraus dinosaur fossil. This mighty beast has been reconstructed using the old discarded furniture of the local people- what was once old and unwanted is now being used to hold together a mighty creature from the past.

Teshima has a long and dramatic history. The shell middens on the island date back to over 9,000 years ago. The push to have these middens protected is currently being pursued by both locals and non-residents. Conversely, thanks to local endeavours, the relatively recent illegal waste dump that is also on Teshima island is being moved off the island and processed. The inhabitants of Teshima are more than capable of fighting for how they want their island to be. Yet presently the island’s population is under stress caused by shifts in the currents of the modern world. We wish our project to reflect the hopeful, creative and resilient way that the people of Teshima approach challenges and opportunities that come their way. 残り物には福がある.- Nokorimono ni wa fuku ga aru- Luck exists in the Leftovers!

Luck Exists in the Leftovers was made possible with support from The Australia Council of the Arts