| ARTSOURCE
APPROACH:
Developed by a small group of
independent fishermen, working in partnership
with the Department for Planning and Infrastructure,
the Fremantle Fishermen’s Memorial was developed
through 2002 – 2004. The genesis of the
project was the conviction by the group, that
the founding fishermen working from Fremantle
who were instrumental in developing a billion-dollar
industry for Western Australia and establishing
the Fishing Boat Harbour, should be honoured and
recognised.
artsource was initially asked
to assist the group by presenting a range of artwork
approaches that could be utilised, advising on
best practice processes and then to scope and
develop an artwork brief. The original plan was
to build a jetty on which an artwork could be
sited. After discussion, it was decided that the
artwork brief would include the design of a functional
jetty and that the whole jetty become the memorial.
An early budget of $300,000 was
worked with.
Open advertising and promotion
to artsource members produced a competitive field
of 25 submissions to undertake the project. During
the process of concept proposals and the later
design development, the client’s needs chimed
with the artists vision and a decision was made
to expand the project budget through individual
fund-raising.
Launched in October 2004, this
innovative site specific project designed for
the Fishermen’s Boat Harbour in Fremantle
has become a landmark artwork.
The work is positioned on the
site where the commercial fishing industry in
Fremantle began. 12 large jarrah poles have stainless
steel markers attached with the names of over
600 fishermen; the marker post at the entrance
of the jetty has a map of the coastline from which
the men operated; two bronze figures of fishermen
look across the ages towards each other. The model
for the fisherman from an earlier time mounting
the stone steps of the jetty with a wicker basket
on his shoulder glances towards the younger man
with modern craypots and clothing standing at
the end of the jetty.
This extraordinary project attracted
a considerable amount of sponsorship and support
from related industries, fishermen and companies
involved in the Fremantle area. |
