Harriet Goodall
Born: Yass, NSW
Lives and works: Robertson, NSW
Artist Statement
Counterbalance, 2024-25
Arundo donax (Giant Reed), river stones.
Counterbalance is a sculptural exploration of the complex relationship between human society and the natural environment. Handcrafted by Harriet Goodall using Arundo donax—an invasive grass species introduced to Australia by colonists in the 19th century—the work embodies the tension between human intervention and natural adaptation. Once valued for its utility, this plant has become ecologically disruptive to waterways and the habitats of native birds, mirroring the unintended consequences of human actions on the environment. Its transformation into an architectural, creature-like form, suspended by river stones that have lain in the waterways since before colonisation, speaks to both the resilience and fragility of ecosystems under human influence.
Structured yet organic, the net-like sculpture invites physical engagement and play from its audience, offering a visceral experience of entanglement with nature’s dynamic forces. As viewers step into and around the piece, using their own push and pull to morph its shape, they are prompted to consider how our presence can both nurture and destabilise the environments we inhabit. Counterbalance serves as a tactile reflection on our shared ecological responsibility—challenging us to embrace more thoughtful, sustainable ways of coexisting within the more-than-human world.
Counterbalance was developed with the assistance of The Corridor Project and Create NSW.
About the Artist
Harriet Goodall is a leading figure in contemporary fibre sculpture, known for transforming natural and reclaimed materials into evocative, large-scale works that speak to identity, landscape, and ecology. Over the past 15 years, her practice has evolved into a distinctive fusion of traditional basketry, tapestry, and metalwork with modern sculptural forms. Her work is exhibited regularly and held in numerous private and commercial collections.
Goodall’s formative years on a large Australian cropping and grazing property instilled in her a deep connection to the land, which continues to inform her artistic vision. She draws on the rhythms of agricultural life, using meditative processes such as weaving, stitch, and painting with earth pigments to echo the textures and cycles of nature. Her creations often evoke the fragility of ecosystems and the interdependence between human and plant life. Represented by Gallery Jennings Kerr in Robertson, Goodall is committed to exploring craft, community, and environmental consciousness through art and immersive experiences.
