ARTS & CULTURE

S I x TEEN L EGS

Sixteen Legs is a multi-award-winning documentary film and touring exhibition featuring the fascinating world of prehistoric cave spiders. This March and April, the Cannery Arts Centre is hosting the Sixteen Legs exhibition, inviting attendees to enter the mysterious world of Tasmanian caves and meet the giant spiders who have thrived there since ancient times.

Sixteen Legs features photos of the breathtaking caves, deep in the wilderness of Tasmania, and the strange animals that live there, accompanied by a dark fantasy story by international best-selling author Neil Gaiman, and art from Queensland artist Jodee Taylah. Marcia Leonard, the Cannery’s Artistic Program Manager, is excited to see this exhibition come to Esperance. “It’s an interesting mix of art and science,” she says. “It’s also an opportunity to see an amazing underground world that many of us might not otherwise get to see.”

The Tasmanian cave spider featured in the touring exhibition has a leg span of 18 centimetres, and has survived in the vast caves of Tasmania for 200 million years. These spiders have a fascinating reproductive life. While most spider eggs hatch in two to four weeks, these spiders spend eight to 10 months in their specially constructed egg sacs. They also live for many years, which is unusual for a spider. As well as photos and information about these unique creatures, the exhibition also features giant sculptures of the spiders, so while it may not be ideal for arachnophobes, it will be fascinating for everyone else.

The Sixteen Legs documentary was a seven year project created by biologists and educators who have been studying the life cycle of the Tasmanian cave spider, a species that has survived for millions of years. The documentary, which has won a slew of awards, features Neil Gaiman and Stephen Fry, among others, and a score written and performed by Kate Miller-Heidke. As well as the accompanying exhibition, the Cannery will host a screening of the documentary on March 11. Both the exhibition and the documentary are free to attend.

Dr Niall Doran, a zoologist and filmmaker, is the codirector and producer of Sixteen Legs. He is pleased to be bringing this experience to regional and remote areas of the country. “At a time when science, education and the environment are often caught in the political crosshairs, we feel it is significant to bring to the world a tale that celebrates the fun and wonder of the world that preceded us and may still outlast us,” Dr Doran says.

KARLI FLORISSON

Uncover A World Of Prehistoric Cave Spiders

Catch Sixteen Legs at the Cannery Arts Centre until April 23. A screening of the Sixteen Legs documentary will be held on March 11. For further details, visit www.canneryartscentre.com.au.