ROSA MAR
SPANISH AUSTRALIAN VISUAL ARTIST I
PUBLIC ART & PLACEMAKING I ARTS ADVOCATE I CURATOR OF CURRENTS OF PRACTICE
STAY TUNED 2026 WORLD WETLANDS DAY EXHIBITION & PUBLIC PROGRAM
STAY TUNED 2026 WORLD WETLANDS DAY EXHIBITION & PUBLIC PROGRAM
Late January through to February, 2 of 2025 the inaugural Currents of Practice: World Wetlands Day Art Exhibition & Conversations came to life at Coolart Wetlands and Homestead under the direction of artist and curator Rosa Mar Tato Ortega.
Born from a long-held vision to use art as a catalyst for ecological awareness, the project brought together artists, scientists, and the community to explore the entangled relationships between place, creativity, and stewardship. Over three days, site-responsive installations, performances, poetry, and conversations animated Coolart’s Ramsar-listed wetlands, offering new ways of seeing and engaging with this vital landscape.
Planning is now underway for the first Currents of Practice e-book publication and the 2026 exhibition and public program. To stay connected and follow the next chapter of this evolving project, visit @currents.of.practice on Instagram.
Photo credit: Bri Horne Dominic White Coolart Observatory World Wetlands Day 2025 Public Program
World Wetlands Day 2026
The official 2026 World Wetlands Day theme has been confirmed:
“Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage”
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
This theme recognises the deep connection between people, place, and water, shaped by knowledge passed through generations, ceremony, practice, and care. Currents of Practice will respond through art, dialogue, and site-based collaboration.
In 2026, we honour wetlands as cultural landscapes, celebrating the traditional knowledge and heritage that connect communities to water, land, and life.’
Q&A panel discussion & exhibition
Award winning broadcaster & journalist Tracee Hutchison will be moderating the Q&A Artist Panel Discussion with coffee available from Friends of Coolart starting at 9:30 AM.
Sunday February 2
11:00AM
Coolart Homestead and Wetlands Observatory
Park opens at 8.30am
Homestead opens 9.00am
Artist spotlights + more
Click for artist spotlights and behind-the-scenes glimpses of this transformative celebration of wetlands and art.
in residence 2024 & 2025
Peninsula Hot Springs Residency 2025
Rosa Mar Tato Ortega completed her residency at Peninsula Hot Springs as their first-ever visual artist in residence. Following in the footsteps of previous Artists in Residence—beloved musicians such as Lior and Kutcha Edwards, this new chapter marks a significant expansion of the program into the visual arts.
Residing onsite on Bunurong Country, Rosa spent her time creating and responding to the landscape, engaging deeply with the natural surrounds of the Mornington Peninsula.
As part of this residency, Rosa presented an artist talk on Good Friday at the Bath House Amphitheatre stage. She shared insights into her creative process, recent public art outcomes, and the narratives and stories that continue to shape her work.
Rosa spent a few short weeks embracing the notion of the 'creative pause,' a sanctuary for reflection, exploration, and allowing past works to inform new creations at the unique environments of Police Point and Point Nepean National Parks.
Channeling the wisdom of Marina Abramović ‘Art is not made in a vacuum. Art is made by reflecting.
MPRG artist-in-residence program 2024
Jika Jika
Community Centre
De-Fence Against Loneliness is a site-responsive public artwork commissioned by Jika Jika Community Centre and funded by the Victorian Government’s Living Local Suburban Development program.
The project reimagined a high, exclusionary fence as a welcoming threshold, transforming a quiet residential intersection into a vibrant, communal space.
Functional elements include a sculptural, laser-cut street library; layered gateways and thresholds that encourage movement and gathering; and interpretive signage embedded
with historical motifs. Light, shadow, and materiality animate the space—inviting people to pause, play, and engage.
What makes this project truly remarkable is its social impact.
We’ve seen a noticeable increase in visitors and diversity of use: families, children, older residents, and newcomers now feel this is a place for them. Events have begun to spill into the outdoor areas. The project has changed how the neighbourhood sees us—and how we see ourselves. “We used to be hidden behind a fence—now people stop, connect, and feel welcome. The artwork has become part of our identity, De-Fence Against Loneliness demonstrates that thoughtful, well-executed public a a community drive public art project can change not just a space, but the life of a community.’
Susan Rennie - Manager
Public art that turns barriers into gateways for community life.
Reimagining fences as places of identity, welcome, and shared stories.
CREATIVE CONSULTING, REACTIVATING & MARKETING
'Live where you fear to live' is an artist & small business support program all about empowering & supporting artists become storytellers and attracting opportunities.
The ultimate aim is to establish a satisfying and financially sustainable arts practice and business.
