Arafura Portal

Portals: Arafura Sea and Brú na Bóinne

From the Arafura Sea, to the ancient entrance of Brú na Bóinne—Newgrange—in Ireland’s Boyne Valley, an entryway to Earth’s subterranean realms (Dura), I find myself as far as possible from where I’m headed, circling, desiring the thing that feels like suction cupped and greedily clinging and at the same time endlessly open, endlessly playful, endlessly tidal.

Entrances get narrower and narrower until…needle’s eye. The lintel, a deep dive into spaciousness – tongues confused, eyes watering, heart pounding – which way is up? –  flow/resistance all at once.

Portals can stay closed or they can open, depending on the turn of multiple bodies, multiple stories – high and low tides, earth and sky rotations, celestial entities in movement.

Artists: Wendy Cowan (Irish) and Mark Goonan (Australian)

Materials: Metal door frame, Arafura tides