Encompass December 2011 - Sunshine Coast Council ...

PUBLIC ART
art beyond four
walls: public art
Gone are the days when the only place to gaze in wonder at a work of
art was a museum or gallery. The art discipline is extending beyond four
walls into the outside world, where it is redefining creative applications
and evoking a response from a wider audience. Public art is created with
the intention of being viewed in the public domain. It exists to serve the
artists and residents of a particular area by incorporation into the built
environment. This not only cultivates community identity, but enhances
the spaces such art becomes a part of, making them more attractive and
bringing enjoyment into mundane experiences.
The Queensland Government has
committed to investing $10 million
from 2010 to 2014 in the promotion
of public art. Disbursing these funds
on a local level, the Sunshine Coast
Council has been breathing new life
into open spaces through the talent of
its residing artists.
Commissioned art pieces have been
integrated into the Noosa Junction
station, creating an unforgettable
arrival and departure experience.
This development is a vital transport
link for residents and visitors, its
architectural design and built form
representing the dichotomy of
urban environment and subtropical
landscape endemic to Noosa.
Visual and audio artworks by Beau
Deeley, James Muller, Pauline
Casely-Hayford and Glen Manning
with Kathy Daly will be inextricable
elements of the station, capturing
Noosa’s unique culture and character.
The artists’ ideas and expressions
will be a tribute to the coastal village,
referencing Noosa’s holiday and
surf heritage, Indigenous history
and natural surroundings. Each art
work will feature at the station for
three months, commencing with
Beau Deeley’s piece that employs
3D imaging techniques and ambient
sounds captured from the region.
‘Worlds Within Worlds: Noosa depicts
not only the scenic majesty of the
Noosa region but also explores the
hidden wonders which lie beneath
the surface of ordinary reality, often
beyond our perception,’ says Deeley.
Natural Transitions, the work of Glen
Manning and Kathy Daly, emphasises
the creative interface between art and
a physical place, allowing the centre
to become a focal point for social and
cultural activities.
‘The artwork will improve the overall
amenity and presentation of the
precinct and encourage visitors
to explore and enjoy the precinct,’
explained Manning and Daly.
Contributions by Pauline Casely-
Hayford and James Muller explore
culture as a universal notion that
dwells in personal interpretation and
imagination, making Noosa’s identity
tangible – something that can be
seen and heard by commuters.
‘Cultural Remix: Sharing the Sacred
captures random images and objects
as representations of culture and
heritage and re-articulates them
through projection artworks,’ Casely-
Hayford says.
This year the enriching effects of
public art will be far reaching on
the Sunshine Coast. In April this
year Kawana’s Stockland Park
underwent a transformation with
the construction of a large-scale
grandstand. A different dimension
has been added for spectators with
an artwork that complements the
architectural concepts of the seating
and the sporting nature of the precinct.
The Tickle Park toilet block at Coolum
includes a site-specific design to
improve the appearance of the facility.
The installation of a balustrade at a
Eumundi intersection has created
another public art opportunity. Located
at the town’s northern entrance the
barrier welcomes passers-by with an
artistic interpretation of Eumundi’s
forest history and surrounding
infrastructure (see page 47 for more).
A single piece of art, when
displayed publicly, can leave a
lasting impression upon many.
On the Sunshine Coast, public art
is becoming an essential aspect
of regional developments and
endeavours. In March, 33 local
artists participated in a site tour of
the Maroochy region to network
and investigate future public art
opportunities. It is safe to say that the
history and culture of the Sunshine
Coast will be preserved through the
vision of artistic minds working in the
public domain.
Words: Lucy Emlyn-Jones.
44 Sunshine Coast Council Encompass December 2011