In Tasmania particularly it can be difficult to be vocal about political issues. Here is a chance to be uncompromising, a chance to take risks, a chance to raise community cultural awarenes. And who says art needs to be permanent? Heres a chance to make something and then release it, to allow visual art to metamorphose into performance art. Intrigued? then follow up the article!
..the response to a site was very much tied up with the way humans had mediated the experience. Yes trees and forests were sacred but that didn't mean that you couldn't touch them. Our mediation of course must be sensitive - be fearless yet thoughtful... Series of black and white photographs accompany the article.
Written with Paul Mutton. Merz is a new urban artist's village in the inner city suburb of Brompton, South Australia. Photos and drawings of the project.
Australian cities cannot continue to grow in the manner to which we've become accustomed. The environmental, social and economic costs are simply too great. There needs to be a qualitative change to the way we build and live in them.
Mudflat arts believes that the landscape is not there to be painted so much as to be protected. The role has changed from one of passive painter to active member of the community.
In these days of environmental awareness it is pleasing to see a growing awareness of the need to improve urban environments. This is not to say that we should, yet again, be looking after the concerns of people over and above the needs of the natural environment.
In Brisbane the older suburbs are distinctive and a prime source of identity for this sub-tropical city. The timber tradition has left us a rich heritage. For this proposal we have taken an existing suburb with houses on 800m2 blocks. The houses are simple single frontal address buildings.
The Shire of Mundaring is a large semi rural locality in the hills of the Darling Scarp some 35 km east of Perth in Western Australia. Large areas of natural bushland including the John Forrest National Park and the catchment areas of the Mundaring Weir are to be found within its boundaries--- so are some fascinating sculptures and installations.
It never gets really cold in the Top End. But it does get very humid during the Wet. However, simple steps in house design can make the house comfortable and you don't need fans and air conditioners.