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Client brief:
The City of South Perth wished to commission an art work to capture the historical flavour and environment of Como Beach that in the 1930’s was popular for its beautiful beach, bush setting, the availability to camping areas and cheap transport (ferry, tram). In the early thirties there would be 3,000 people at Como on every summer Sunday with 7,000 campers in the Summer holidays.
The art component accompanied a revegetation and landscaping of this foreshore area and was aimed to attract the community back to this significant foreshore area.
Artsource approach:
The City of South Perth approached artsource to work with staff facilitating commissioning processes, implementation of public art strategies and policy development.
Artsource advised on the artwork brief, the selection process, facilitated the artists selection and presented to council and working parties. Artists Danuta Szolic and Jason Hirst were selected from a field of 8.
About the work:
“The world is young and we are all pioneers” Walter Murdoch
The work focuses on the human element as the history of the peninsular has been built on, the history of people and their undying spirit.
The series of three silhouettes of imposing human figures, from child to adult, link the past with the present. The tallest of the group are three adult figures dressed in garments from the turn of the centuries. The silhouettes are decorated with simple cut-out steel shapes that reference iconic landmarks and activities.
The works stand on richly coloured mosaic bases. The colours reflect individual stories portrayed in the figures.
Constructed of steel and painted, the figures stand (from large to small) 3m high x 1.2 wide; 2.4m high x 90 wide; 1.2, x .62 wide.
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