Working with Ganellan Builders, we have appointed Jade Oakley and Axolotl to design and construct a memorial entrance feature for the redeveloped site in Harbord overlooking Dee Why Beach.
As art consultant to TWT Property Group, PublicArt Works has worked with Beijing artist Xia Hang to develop a large scale wall sculpture for a new laneway as part of the New Life residential development on Harris St. Memory Tree, based loosely on the industrial history of Ultimo is to be approximately 6m by 8m in size. It occupies the entrance to the lane, just opposite the Ian Thorpe pool.
Artists Peter McGreggor and Michaelie Crawford have just about completed their 3 year engagement on the art for Sydney Metro’s northwest section due to open in 2019. As technical advisors, PublicArt Works role was to oversee this planning and concept development process for TfNSW to ensure high quality lasting artworks at all 8 stations.
Light Line + Social Square is an ambitious and broad ranging approach to public art in infrastructure. The philosophy behind the approach is art as a feeling rather than a product, integrated and not separate to the station infrastructure. The artwork installations are seamlessly integrated into all the station spaces melding art, environment, architecture, urban and landscape design, lighting, engineering, and heritage.
Colour permeates and unifies all elements of Light Line Social Square . The colours of Light Line+ Social Square are applied to a surprising array of places from landscape to lighting. It includes architectural touch points such as customer assistance, and the glazing of escalators, elevators and personal safety screens to create a unified experience of space.
The vibrant colours of the orchard produce that used to grow in the north west of Sydney, inspire a line-wide, station specific colour palette. The use of colour provides a bright contrast to the dominant grey of the station finishes. It has been applied to various surfaces, with each station’s dominant colour derived from the local area’s agricultural heritage.
A couple of the highlights include the linear platform light installation, programmed to respond to the arrival and departure of trains, that will link all the stations in a kind of network-wide illuminated kinetic artwork. It promises to be a very cool feature of a high tech system.
Three of the stations Castle Hill, Showground and Norwest, feature beautiful skylights designed by the artists. A dozen or so large square glass boxes, pop up within a gridded grove of trees which at night will appear like lanterns in the landscape while by day the coloured glass casts an array of moving patterns across the floor and ceiling of the concourse. A mirrored lining creates an added infinity effect – just one of many visual surprises the artists have brought to the project.
Congratulations to TfNSW for their unwavering support of this multimillion dollar public art project. Let’s hope this is just the beginning of an exciting art process rolled out across the rest of the Metro Network.
“Light Line +Social Square” aims to create a sense of delight and respite, belonging and engagement for the community, elevating the sense of a quality journey for the customer.”
Artists Michaelie Crawford & Peter McGreggor
As one of Australia’s leading Independent art consultant/private curator and visual arts advocate, Natalia has exceptional relationships with Australian and international artists, gallerists, collectors, curators and institutional directors
Natalia works closely in the company offering key clients privileged access to gallerists, artists and…
Current projects with PAW include developing art collection strategies with one of our clients, who is firmly committed to art throughout their developments. Natalia is helping TWT develop its arts philanthropy strategies, collection development, and providing high level advice on national and international artists suitable for public art projects.
She brings an extraordinary level of energy and enthusiasm in what is a collapsing space between public architectural art and gallery
Jade Oakley and Axolotl art concept for boutique residential development in Ryde.
PublicArt Works worked with the developer LJ Link Constructions to adapt a foyer glass wall concept to become the feature art canvas. With half the wall within the private lobby, the DA art requirements were challenged. Ryde Council accepted the concept, acknowledging that the wall reads as a continuous whole with a dramatic visual integration of public domain and private foyer.
Axolotl’s amazing technique has brought Jade’s concept alive with embedded laser cut bronze sheet.
“Between Two Rivers” – is a layered artwork with etched contours of the street scape patterns of the local area, covering approximately 70 square metres.
“Between Two Rivers” concept by jade Oakley for Qube, Junction St Ryde
Merran Morrison has been appointed public art advisor to Transport for NSW on Sydney Metro North West. The 2- 3 year appointment involves overseeing the artistic thinking and planning for eight new stations along this whizz bang rail line. Appointed artists Turpin Crawford Studios and Peter McGreggor have been embedded in the Hassell design studio for the past 12 months to address the public art requirements for the initial section of the Metro from Cherrybrook to Rouse Hill. Merran has worked with TfNSW since 2009 advocating for public art in stations, and in 2012 prepared the Public Art Guidelines for what was then North West Rail Link.
Artist Virginia Reid’s concept drawing for Our Lady of Mercy College will now go into design development.
PublicArt Works have been engaged to prepare the Public Art Plan and subsequently commissioning and project management of an artwork for the school’s new multipurpose hall. The Ailissa McKinnon building designed by Stanton Dahl Architects will feature the artwork of NSW artist Virginia Reid.
The school’s Mercy Tree is depicted as a Parramatta mangrove – symbolizing the growth of young minds, the nurturing of ideas, and the symbiotic interconnectedness of mother nature’s nursery further embodying the Mercy Values of the school.
“Expanding beyond what we know we can be” is inspired by American pop artist Sister Corita Kent. Virginia collaborated with ex art teacher and school mentor Sister Rosemary Crumlin, both inspired by this significant female artist, with the text coming from an original Corita artwork gifted to Rosemary and now to the school.
Located on the corner of Victoria Road and O’Connell st, the building sits symbolically between a cathedral (Saint Patricks) and a football stadium (home of Parramatta Eels), the text a call to young students and the public to aspire to greatness.
Greencross, owners of Petbarn stores, were looking for a unique long service gift to acknowledge exceptional staff and years of service. Public Artworks commissioned famous canine artist Geoff Harvey to produce a limited edition sculpture “Busta”, mounted on the finest Sydney Sandstone. Prototypes were developed for the client and a production budget established. Part of PublicArtworks role is to style and package the sculptures for long term storage and presentation, as it will be some years before all 100 pups find their new owners.
Matthew Harding has been selected for the external commission for the stunning new Albury Regional Art Gallery. PublicArt Works worked with the Albury City Council to identify 18 suitable artists. Four were shortlisted including Jennifer Turpin & Michaelie Crawford, Belinda Smith and Ben Gilbert. Matthew’s concept will now go into design development and will be completed by September.
This week will see the completed installation of “The Bay” our newest project for the Kiaora Lands Redevelopment in Double Bay, Sydney. The 144 square metre building façade depicting an abstracted but lyrical interpretation of Double Bay’s geography was designed by Bondi artist Jade Oakley.
Fabricated by Metal Stone Wood from Murwillumbah, the artwork pushes the perforated metal aesthetic one step further. Not only do the elevated metal layers create depth and three dimensionality but there is a beautiful organic rhythm in the artist’s stylisation of water, land and trees. We worked in collaboration with Creative Road, Woolworths, Woollahra Council, project architects Nettleton Tribe and builders Ganellan to realize the project which has turned around in 4 months. Record time for a public artwork of this scale!
Working with local indigenous painter Digby Moran and artist/designer Alex Polo, Artscape were able to transform a large section of River St, the main street of Ballina NSW, with a series of large scale artwork screens. The recently installed artwork has drawn much attention in the region, playing an important role in the coastal town’s unique cultural identity and sense of place.
Moran’s paintings, inspired by his Bundjalung heritage were reinterpreted into a suite of perforated corten steel artwork elements, integrated into the new building façade as window screens and louvres in collaboration with Cottee Parker Architects.
A cost effective and straightforward fabrication and installation process has delivered maximum visual impact for this important regional project. Involving Artscape early in the design process meant decisions could be made to transfer cost centres (such as window louvers) to the art budget, ensuring all design elements of the building’s façade worked in visual harmony.
We were recently invited by the Warmun Art Centre in East Kimberley, to prepare an artwork proposal for Lena Nyadbi for the new Macquarie Bank Global headquarters in Martin Place, Sydney.
Lena Nyadbi is one of Australia’s foremost indigenous artists, with one of the world’s largest art installations to her name – permanently on display in Paris beneath the Eiffel Tower. Nyadbi’s Dayiwul Lirlmim (Barramundi Scales) have been stenciled onto a 700-square-metre section of the roof of the Musee du quai Branly in Paris, now visible to Google Earth users.
Nyadbi was invited by the Macquarie Bank to submit artwork concepts responding to the Bank’s art collection theme, The Land and Its Psyche. A significant challenge was successfully integrating a defining piece of indigenous artwork into a visually busy heritage interior.
Merran Morrison creatively transformed two large scale Lena Nyadbi artworks into diverse materials such as marble and wool for the impressive new headquarters located in the 1920’s heritage bank building.
Working closely with Lena and the Warmun Art Centre Manager Adam Boyd, we produced a comprehensive proposal which included material samples and architectural renderings of the artworks in situ.
Just appointed by Woolworths and Woollahra Council to commission a building façade by Bondi artist Jade Oakley for the new Double Bay Village shopping precinct. The artwork will compliment the stylish design of the new high end shopping village designed by architects Nettleton Tribe.
“The Bay” is a lyrical interpretation of the locality’s geography in perforated metal. Inspired by the natural beauty of Double Bay the composition is a combination of different scales and perspectives woven together, depicting two iconic natural symbols of Double Bay – the giant Port Jackson figs and the harbour bay itself.
The artwork creates a sense of mapping through the aerial view of the Bay’s topography to engender a strong sense of place. The boat-studded water cradled between the two great trees is a reminder of the harbour, so close yet not visible from the heart of Double Bay.
Jade’s design gets the balance right between contemporary international style and local relevance. It will be rendered in layers of perforated metal, space separated to give the façade more sculptural depth.
PublicArt Works in collaboration with Rebecca Townsend worked with Sydney builders Ganellen and fabricators Metal Stone & Wood, to complete the project by June 2014.
In collaboration with Landsite, Creative Road and Armsign, PublicArt Works recently completed the first practical design work to advance the implementation of The Lindsay Art Trail, a cultural tourism project led by Hepburn Shire Council in Regional Victoria.
Re-named, Creswick of the Lindsays the project provides the little known gold rush town of Creswick with an authentic tourism opportunity which no other place in Australia can replicate. The Lindsay family, born in Creswick in the 1800 and 1900’s produced more artists than any other family in our history. The five artists – Percy, Lionel, Norman, Ruby and Daryl – all significantly contributed to shaping the cultural landscape of Australia.
The project was conceived as an economic development initiative to stimulate the local economy with economic and cultural development benefits flowing to the local community. Design elements were carefully conceived to improve the amenity of Creswick‘s places, enhance local identity and enrich the cultural life of the community.
Rather than a map with sites joined by numbered dots the design approach was a holistic one, less linear and aimed at an experience which is flexible, diverse, integrated, layered, accessible, responsive to change and infinitely expansive. The result is a cultural tourism product with three key elements – the walked experience, an audio tour (via smart phone technology) and a printed map.
Design elements produced in consultation with key stakeholders include:
- Landscape streetscape features/improvements
- Interpretive signage
- Artworks integrated with interpretive signage
- Art seating & street sculptural elements
- Two dimensional graphic and hand painted street art elements
- Marketing & Style guide
Public Art Strategy
The best public art around the world is essentially interpretive. It has the power to make the invisible, visible, bring to life the stories and narratives of places in ways that express local history and help build and bind communities. The long term success of the artwork rests on its ability to creatively interpret the identity of its place and people and the integration of the artwork elements within its site.
Creswick of the Lindsays artwork program was guided by the following principles:
- A focus on activating the main street & the visitor centre site
- Production of a suite of art-sign-urban elements
- Engaging artists in efficient ways
- Infusing all built elements with an artistic component
- Emphasis on long term, low maintenance, cost effective solutions
- Staged approach to outcomes based on budget realities
- Creating professional opportunities for local artists where appropriate
One component of the art program, designed to interpret the stories of the Lindsay family in a contemporary and engaging, was the recommendation to engage Melbourne artist, Miso, an experienced street artist who has a rare pictorial style which is both contemporary and historic.
Miso’s artworks (see below) will be spread across five sites throughout Creswick – locations will be site specific, clever and curious places – adding a contemporary, youthful aesthetic and leveraging Australia’s increasing interest in contemporary street art. Thematically fitting with a street art philosophy, the artist will be encouraged to celebrate the Lindsay family’s anti-establishment, atheist and bohemian attitudes.
Construction of Creswick of the Lindsays is expected to begin in 2014.
MAIN IMAGE:
Lionel Lindsay (Aus., 1874-1961) Morning Tea, 1924 Wood engraving
Image depicts Lionel Lindsay and his wife, Jane on the verandah of their house. Held in the National Gallery of Australia collection
Woolworths, incollaboration with Creative Road, have taken us on again to commission Indigenous painter Digby Moran for their latest development in Ballina NSW. Moran’s paintings, inspired by his Bundjalung heritage are being reinterpreted with help of fellow artist and industrial designer Alex Polo. Two of Moran’s cloth paintings depicting his ancestors from Cabbage Tree Island and the iconic Richmond River will be digitally transformed into a suite of corten steel artwork elements and integrated into the new building facade as window screens.
Digby Moran was born in Ballina NSW and grew up on a Cabbage Tree Island mission in the Richmond River. At 16 he left the Island to work in the local cane fields and after a few years joining the Jimmy Sharman Boxing Troupe as his father had done before him. Boxing allowed him to travel extensively but during this time alcohol became a problem. At the age of 42, when he had hit rock bottom, he made the decision to quit.
In 1991 Moran undertook an art course at TAFE and discovered he had a talent for painting. He paints only what he knows and never outside his Bundjalung boundaries, “ you’ll never catch me painting things like barramundi or crocodiles,” he said. Water, especially the ocean is a common theme , “Water is a big part of all Bundjalung Dreaming,” He explains “I have always been a saltwater man.”
Moran has participated in international exhibitions at the Berlin Aboriginal Art Gallery (Germany), the New Media Gallery in Vienna (Austria) and had solo shows at the Museum Hame in Duisburg (Germany) and the NSW Parliament. In 2000 he won the People’s Choice Award at the National Aboriginal and Islander Telstra Art Award at the Northern Territory Art Gallery and was a finalist in The New South Wales Parliament Aboriginal Art Prize in 2011 & 2012.
Digby Moran’s Ballina Woolworths commission will be installed September 2013.
Canberra Times Pg 3, May 10, 2013
The finishing touches are being put on the new Australian National University (ANU) science precinct with the installation of UNA, a sculpture by renowned international artist Wolfgang Buttress.
The highly polished four metre diameter stainless steel sphere features 9,000 laser and hand cut perforations which represent the stars visible to the naked eye in the Southern Hemisphere which are laser cut according to their luminosity. The stars were mapped in collaboration with eminent Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics astronomer, Dr Daniel Bayliss.
The magic of the sculpture is revealed once you look inside. Peering through the perforation of a single ‘star” the viewer is suddenly captivated by a field of cosmic vision. The highly polished inner sphere reflects tiny rays of light filtering through the outer ball. Bouncing off the polished inner surfaces, the effect, at different times of the day, reveals a beautiful and entirely different universe.
This artwork concept is based on the relationship between micro and macro, the atom and the universe. Buttress describes the work as “evoke[ing] universal structures. The symmetry of the human body is present throughout the natural world – evident in cell formation, nautilus shells, diatoms and the stars themselves. By associating us with these phenomena, Buttress seeks to re-establish a more empathetic and harmonious relationship with the universe by means of poetic place-makers which engender a feeling of centeredness. Emphasising connections between the micro and macro, UNA can be seen as a portal of reflection that suggests a sense of wonder, elation and sublimity.”
The two-tonne structure sits in the courtyard between the Linnaeus and College of Science Teaching Buildings on Linnaeus way.
On Thursday 9 May 2013, Buttress will open an exhibition of his paintings and sculptures at ANU’s Drill Hall Gallery. A time lapse video showing the installation of Rise, Buttress’ 40m high sculpture in Belfast, which will also be shown as part of the exhibition. As part of Canberra’s centenary celebrations Buttress has also been invited to speak at Sculpture, Space and Place at the National Gallery of Australia forum on 11 May 2013.
Merran Morrison was invited to join Hassell and Bjarke Ingels Group to tender to provide master planning services for Barangaroo Central in Sydney.
The Barangaroo Delivery Authority had an outstanding response from Australian and International firms representing 10 countries. Following assessment and evaluation, the Authority shortlisted 5 teams to deliver presentations and participate in interviews, prior to the final selection being made in December 2012.
The Master Plan for Barangaroo Central will complete the long term vision for Barangaroo, creating a new precinct linking the six hectare Headland Park with Lend Lease’s Barangaroo South financial hub. It will create an vision for Barangaroo Central allowing long term flexibility to include a range of cultural, civic, mixed use, commercial, residential, and retail opportunities.
The successful team appointed as the Barangaroo central master planner will lead the development of the conceptual vision for the precinct leading to the design of an excellent and exciting Central Master Plan. The Authority intends to select a team by mid December 2012 to commence master planning work in the first quarter of 2013.
PublicArt Works have developed an innovative Public Art Strategy for Transport for NSW’s multi-billion dollar new rail link from Epping to Rouse Hill. Prior work by Merran Morrison for Sydney Metro, the Parramatta-Chatswood Rail Link and the Wynyard Walkway have helped centralize art as part of the planning strategy for the proposed new $8b transport system. PublicArt Works program was embraced by government because of its diverse application and functional utlitity, with artworks spanning ephemeral and traditional sculpture to urban poetry and multimedia urban informatics.
PublicArt Works supported a multi-disciplinary team lead by AECOM, Cox Richardson, and UK based architects Grimshaw. Working closely with government and the design team, We have formulated integrated art concepts in response to engineering, architecture and urban design opportunities with functional requirements of rail systems such as station identity, wayfinding, safety and security becoming canvases for attractive underground transit environments. Part of the Company’s role has been to show how public art can problem solve and guide aesthetic and experiential outcomes in ways that architecture alone simply can’t.
Our design strategies enhancing the passenger experience encapsulate the spirit of each place, reflect the aspirations of the community, the narratives of heritage, landscape and culture and embed an understanding & cultural response to the architecture of each station. Further, our international benchmarking study of transit art concluded:
- The benefits of commissioning art go beyond good design
- The best public art is architecturally integrated
- Some of the world’s most renowned artists work is in rail stations
- The outstanding public art programmes are well strategised & funded
- Public artworks can become passenger destinations in themselves
- Public art offers significant marketing and branding opportunities
- The public & local communities respond well to art
Victoria’s new Royal Childrens Hospital uses human-centred design and takes cues from nature to create a facility that sets new standards in healthcare…
View article on www.indesignlive.com
Merran Morrison joins Woodhead Architects as part of the VIA joint venture, which includes Watpac, Ferrovial, GHD, Urbis and Point of View in final selection to tender for the design and construction of Wynyard Walk, Sydney.
In conjunction with the design team, she is developing a walk which is a layered, rich and diverse experience for pedestrians. Legibility and design excellence will be high, allowing the pedestrian to engage in stimulating and poetic encounters about the place, its stories and meanings.
View article as PDF: The Byron Shire Echo 25 March 2010
View article as PDF: The Byron Shire Echo 27 June 2010
ARTSCAPE International has commissioned three Australian artists to produce artworks for the Galaxy Resort and Casino in Cotai City, Macau a $2b development which opened in 2011.
ARTSCAPE worked with a Hong Kong firm to supply five of the eight large scale artworks being installed within the 55 ha complex. They collaborated over a 12 month period working impartially to serve both artist and client, delivering artworks that matched the client’s needs in terms of style, quality and budget.
“A sculptural focal point in a foyer, building entrance, courtyard or boardroom can really help communicate some of the symbolic and higher values of an organisation. Artworks can also add beauty and meaning to the daily lives of those who pass it and serve to reiterate the style and branding of a company and its values,” says ARTSCAPE Co-Director Rebecca Townsend