Tumulus Pudoris - Dallas Rae
$2,500.00
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Size: 180 x 160 cm
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Year: 2023
Artwork Statement: Tumulus Pudoris - translated as "The Mound of Shame" - is a profound visual commentary
on the devastating loss of Australian fauna since European colonisation. This evocative
artwork poignantly illustrates the extinction of 67 Australian species: 4 frogs, 1 reptile, 22
birds, 39 mammals, 1 fish, and 1 spider.
In a sobering comparison, Australia has lost approximately the same number of mammals
as the rest of the world combined in the past 200 years, amounting to roughly 10% of its
land species. In stark contrast, continental North America has recorded the extinction of
only a single native land mammal during this period. The painting reflects the tragic
trajectory of this loss, with 21% of Australian endemic land mammal species currently
threatened, suggesting a continued rate of extinction.
Early records from settlers reveal that many now-extinct or threatened species were once
abundant and ecologically versatile. The brush-tailed rock-wallaby, for example, saw nearly
100,000 skins marketed by a single company in 1908, while more than 500,000 koala skins
were collected in just 31 days in 1927. The subspecies of the brush-tailed bettong and the
black-footed rock-wallaby, once described as “countless swarms,” are now nearly extinct or
critically endangered. Similarly, the pale field-rat was once so numerous that it undermined
the land, with horses sinking into its burrows.
Tumulus Pudoris also confronts historical policies that exacerbated this decline. In the
1800s, laws in New South Wales and Queensland incentivized and mandated the killing of
native marsupials to reduce competition with livestock. Between 1877 and 1930, over 27
million animals were killed under these laws.
Today, the relentless destruction of habitat, land clearing, bushfires, and predation by feral
animals like cats and foxes continue to threaten Australia's biodiversity. The artwork
underscores not just an environmental tragedy but a compelling economic argument:
protecting our unique wildlife is crucial for sustaining tourism and cultural heritage.
Tumulus Pudoris serves as both a memorial and a call to action, urging viewers to reflect on
the consequences of human impact on the natural world and to advocate for the
preservation of Australia’s irreplaceable species.
Tumulus Pudoris - Dallas Rae
$2,500.00