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Date published: 24/03/2013
For 18 months over 2011 and 2012, audiences were invited to engage with some original and interactive art beyond the confines of a traditional gallery.
As part of a unique collaboration between the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) and the Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA), Artsource commissioned and curated a program of temporary artworks for the Perth Cultural Centre (PCC), including digital projection, sound and light sculptures, performance works and sculptural installations.
The program successfully tested different approaches to the site, ranging from large sculptures that provided an element of surprise and even humour (Carl Scrase’s large-scale inflatable), to participatory works (pvi collective’s tug-of-war performance or Parachutes for Ladies’ interactive audio performance). Siren, by Thea Costantino and Tim Cunniffe, was a beautiful sound work, which also made use of the Cultural Centre Screen; as did Elise/Jürgen’s video work and Philip Gamblen’s highly visible screen-based and projected video works. There were works that dealt with the social history of the site (Jonathan Jones’ and Brendan Van Hek’s light sculptures) and works that directly implicated cultural institutions in the PCC (Bennett Miller’s video boxes that looked into the Perth Museum or Sohan Ariel Hayes and Benjamin Forster’s projection and screen-based work with the State Records Office).
Installing temporary public art is an approach that is gaining currency in many places, as curators acknowledge the fluidity of global culture and how difficult it is to pin culture to one, permanently installed object. Cooperation and collaboration were at the heart of entire program, reflecting the aspirations of the MRA for the PCC. The curatorial strategy was effective in eliciting an eloquent conversation between the wide range of publics and institutions interacting within the Cultural Centre on a regular basis.
Minister Culture and the Arts, John Day, commented: “The Perth Cultural Centre is a unique environment that houses many of our cultural institutions and attracts a diverse mix of people from within and outside Western Australia. This project enabled people to appreciate the artworks during daylight hours and at night, enlivening the space, generating enquiry and inviting participation.”
Electronic copies of the full Perth Cultural Centre Non-Permanent & Ephemeral Public Art Project catalogue can be downloaded from the DCA website here. Please contact Artsource Art Consultant, Tabitha Minns to request a hard copy catalogue (numbers limited).
Laura Adel Johnson, Marigold, 2011. Fairy lights, tape, dimensions variable. Photo: Eva Fernandez.
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