"Meaningful Soles" Installation

Do you have or know of someone with a story to tell and a pair shoes they could give or lend to the cause of creating an art/installation/space made up of the shoes and people's stories on paper, with a backing track and a purpose designed space so people can come and circualte and engage with the stories.

The aim is for people to share their values, what's made them who they are or what shapes who they'd like to be... people of any faith or none!!

The space will be used at events and Festivals where young people and others gather and with 'at risk' youth to help them think about life and issues they face!!

The shoes will not end up on ebay...

I have sent almost 200 hundreds letters to people 'cold' when I've heard their story, found a contact or know who they are in the world of sport, movies, celebrity, politics...

I have shoes from:

Matthew Hayden cricketer

Dave Andrews writer/community builder/activist

Lisa Gorman telling her own journey

Geoff Smith and that sense of call/vocation

Who said "great idea but no"

Natasha Stott Despoja

Peter Garrett

Tim Flannery

Who said nothing:

Bono

Nelson Mandela

Nicole Kidman

I am now chasing Matt Noffs [Street University] and Juan Mann 'The Free Hugs Guy' [who said he was keen] BUT what's your story and who do you know that has one worth sharing... get them in touch with me.... I can talk postage, lending donation etc etc...

DO IT NOW!!!!!!!

Can you help out???

robhanks@bigpond.net.au

'52 Suburbs'

Louise Hawson spent 52 weeks photographing and blogging about a different Sydney suburb every week and this has led to a 'simple but brilliant' display at the Museum of Sydney [cnr of Phillip and Bridge Sts in the city]. It's $10 entry with several other exhibitions onsite at Sydney's original Government House.

I finally got there today [and resisted the $40 coffee table book version at least so far] and it fits my measure of creative ideas that really work as 'simple things done well!'

The photos are collaged with a simple white backboard, numbered and named as their suburb around a large room with a few on back to back boards in the centre to create an intimate space.

As well as appreciating it for it's own sake I always enjoy thinking about how/what I'd do along similar lines and in missional frame of mind for any local Uniting Church e.g. photo essays, exposes of local characters [ala Trinity Church Wall St in New York which I visited to check out their 'our neighbours' series], iconic spaces and buildings, promoted to the local neighbourhood and either displayed in a community space or if you think people would come then at your property. Staffed by congregational volunteers with the only agenda being one of celebrating community and story where you are...

Imagine a local Newcastle suburb, for arguments sake Hamilton, chose to do something like this... iconic Beaumont St buildings, the local Barber, a character who still frequents the Kent Hotel all these years after the earthquake, Gregson Park, the boys at the Gallipoli Club, the Italian Centre and so on.... [especially including a couple of the UC's older congregants and their story of the suburb] blow up the collage of images around different themes on matt photo paper A3 sized with very simple labels.

Affix them to homemade mdf display boards painted white on each side and set up in the hall or in the worship space beyond 'Bill's Place Fairtrade Cafe' and suddenly a whole new group of people are exposed to the space, the people, the vibe and the creativity and celebration of Hamilton's multi-cultural life.

Expand it further to include all the suburbs of Newcastle and advertise accordingly, maybe using a space from 'Renew Newcastle' in the city or the University OR TRANSLATE THESE TO YOUR OWN LOCATION!!

It would even be worth buying someone a Canon EOS camera to go out and use and encouraging their development... money well spent!! Wallsend's coal history, Adamstown's mix of anglo, sudanese and Macedonian citizens, The Junction/Merewether or the beaches and suburbs...

52 suburbs blog is here

Art Express Art Gallery of NSW 2011

I got there! Yesterday I put one more tick against my Sydney 2011 'bucketlist' and spent 45mins engaging with the collection of chosen works from Year 12 HSC students in NSW for 2010... there are some remarkably talented artists of that age around.

I went in with renewed thoughts about 'curation of worship' and curation generally in mind and enjoyed the mix of: painting; video loops; sculpture; photography; textiles; 3D depictions and the sophistication of the materials used.

There were piles of wool which had been used in images, a doorway mirror which had been placed all over Sydney for still pictures but the visual diary was included below it and incorporated the parking ticket for the necessary 4WD parking illegally outside the gallery for that shot within the piece. Bill Viola inspired one video loop through the image of the creation of light in Genesis.

I loved a bush image on a huge canvas with the front 2cm of two timber desk drawers and a collection of stuff poking out the top of the drawers.

Various collections travel regionally so see how far away the collections are here

Visual Diaries and other explanations can be found through the excellent 'Inside Art Express' website here.

Annie Leibovitz at Sydney MCA

Annie Leibovitz photographs are icons of popular culture and moments in time capturing friends, family and the famous at significant times in their lives. Apart from that she is a pretty good photographer. It's was on my Sydney 'bucketlist' to go see her exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art [MCA] in Sydney's Rocks and it was well worth the $15 entry!!

There are photos I've seen on the cover of 'Rolling Stone' magazine and news worthy snaps, family pics and giant b&w landscapes... I was struck by the large prints of General Norman Schwartzkopf and Colin Powell... there are light and shade and body lines you don't notice on a busy magazine which show character not just light... e.g. the b&w of Robert De Niro is poor 'Godfather'!!

It reminded me of the power of large b&w images and text which are accessible for worship and reflection these days through various digital photo outlets...

I will be thinking about what I experienced and learned for some time... it's that curator/leader/facilitator thing again...

Art & About Sydney CBD

Art meets public space is something of the theme for Art & About this September/Oct with it's focus on 'Sydney Life'!! Check it out here

I enjoyed a brief glimpse today of some of the themed statues around Macquarie St and outside the QVB!! There's more in Martin place with a ferris wheel made of bicycles and then a sound stage and festivities in Hyde Park!!

Blake Prize for Religious Art 2010

I read in the weekend papers that Chris O'Doherty aka Reg Mombassa has entered an artwork for this years prize [it's not a new work so I'll check this story but for now here it is!

The Blake Prize is an innovative prize themed around religion & spirituality and check it out here

World Press Photo 2009

I missed this years expo of the World Press Photo Award winners at the NSW State Library in May but I believe it's currently in Brisbane and the winners are in a copyrighted gallery here

They are always stunning images in their reality, clarity and storytelling.

'Vivid Festival' Sydney

Curator Brian Eno has overseen a walk of lights and the illumination of the iconic Sydney Opera House! The Festival runs until June 14th and now the rain has gone away the 'House' looks brilliant.
The lights include white and pink cubes outside Customs House, various effects on the Museum of Contemporary Art wall, a coloured space and the blue light rings around some trees which are powered by exercise bikes and passers-by!

Check it out here.

Check out the 'Lighting the Sails' webcam of the Opera House here.

I'm hoping to see the 77 million images free display in the Studio tomorrow at lunchtime!!

These things don't always cause me to think 'church property' but on this ocassion my thoughts are how it wouldn't be hard to make some of our least accessible buildings quite noticeable by asking how we might curate spaces in a way that makes them welcoming, creative and engaging?

From the simplicity of Trinity Wall Sts 'Neighbours' life sized photo display to projecting images on a prominent wall... what if for every Lent, Advent, Pentecost etc you simply lit the building with colour, images, looped audio... opened a hall with refreshments, a labyrinth, some contemplative stations and ways people could express questions, feelings, intercessions... throw in some fairwear topical t-shirts and fair trade products stall, Uniting World project audio-visuals and suddenly your a community space adding value to your local area with no agenda other than just that...

My folks congregation serves food each week to about 80 people in their 'Munch' program... they also have a small nativity scene with handouts and family decorated Christmas Trees in their inner city church. I have suggested a looped dramatic reading of the Chritmas narrative and maybe a 'stories' video with some of the 'Munch' regulars sharing their story and their Christmas reflections on video... I guess I'll have to go and video it to make it happen!!

Worship Unplugged # 58 Tracing Artwork

Here's an idea I found looking at clips and ideas for a Camp theme of 'Telling Stories'

The story was about a community building project using the histories of notable local figures from the neighbourhood in question but one way the people participated was to trace an artists black and white portrait outline projected onto the community space wall using an overhead projector [a data projector would work]!! They seemed to start with the black outline and then add colour later...
People stood in front and obscured parts of the picture but only as they worked on the part they could see...
I imagine callico or white cloth banners, painted mdf sheets or the whole youth centre wall adorned with relevant artwork or mural!!
As the project unfolded there was a buzz or energy as people met each other, talked about what they were doing and the the story of the picture they were drawing!!
Check out the original story here

Newcastle's "Lovett Gallery"

A hidden gem above Newcastle's Regional Library is the Lovett Gallery which hosts a few standout and a few local exhibitions each year which consistently outdraw the actually regional gallery [almost next door]!!

Two upcoming examples include:

REBUILDING AFGHANISTAN is a photographic display sourced from government, defence and aid agency sources. The pictures show the 'ray of light or hope' represented by Australian and Canadian joint efforts in the rebuilding and include: soldiers socialising; children at school; and community members and politicians meeting.
The show runs until early March before heading to Perth!!

NIKON WALKLEY PRESS PHOTOGRAPH AWARDS
This exhibition opens March 13

Monday-Wednesday: 9.30am-8.00pm
Thursday & Friday: 9.30am-5.00pm
Saturday: 9.30am-2.00pm

Festival of Sydney "Play Me, I'm Yours" Pianos

As an art installation Luke Jerram has placed 30 pianos outdoors across Sydney with the aim of 'creating community' as budding pianists 'have a go' and gather those around them with a tune!!
The artist tells the story of waking at 2am the other night and worrying the Hyde Park Piano hadn't been properly covered with the light showers forecast. He arrived to discover a 'rough sleeper' playing a few tunes but from half under said cover so both were out of the rain... surreal!
The Festival of Sydney never disappoints for quality free street drama, performance, theatre and engagement! WE dip our toes in next Monday with the annual trip to the Openair Cinema on the harbour at Mrs Macquarie's Chair seeing 'Valkyrie' with Tom Cruise.

Prayer Booth

This mornings bacon and eggs TV included a quick item about Dylan Mortimer [an artist] from Kansas City who tries to create works and installations which encourage discussion about the usually unpopular topics of faith, belief, prayer etc...

His latest project was part of an 'Arts in the Parks' Festival in Midtown Manhattan where he installed a 'Prayer Booth' not unlike a local payphone in appearance except for the lack of coin slot and the addition of a kneeler if required!!

Interesting art installation which has attracted world media attention!

Great Public Stunt from 'Improv Everywhere'

Nic sent me this video to check out the public space art invasions of 'Improv Everywhere' whose slogan is "we cause scenes." This would be a brilliant thing to do in public space sometime. In this case it was New York's famous Grand Central Station!

Back to the City NEWCASTLE

"Back to the City" is a series of temporary urban art interventions taking over the city of Newcastle from today into February. Sixteen teams of artists, architects and landscape architects have developed site specific displays by utilising the mix of their disciplines and being challenged to represent the rebuilding and revitalising of the cityscape and harbour.
I have spotted a few of the spaces and hope to ride around some time in the next few days to check them all out!!
They are something like the original idea I had for an Advent/Christmas themed set up which was worked on and expanded and modified to the achievable by the Smartartz mob [see flickr images in the right margin] who rightly focused on an alternative approach to gifts and consumerism through 'fairtrade'.
There's so much potential for this kind of project to bring themes and stories from the Christian faith story and tradition without providing answers, well trodden images and impressions.

Stay tuned for pictures BUT the whole project is explained HERE.
Check out some more pics in the flickr box [right margin]!!

Smartartz 2007

In 2006 a group of keen adbusters began thinking and planning for a series of street scape art installations to bring an 'alternative' Christmas focus.

In community not church space
Static with crazy multimedia ideas but safe and interactive unattended
Focused on key words from the advent story
Relevant to the community
Friendly and a new face for 'the church'

We ran out of time without burning ourselves out!!

In 2007 a bunch of those inspired group members picked up the idea and developed the alternative side of the project into advocacy for TEAR Fund Gift Catalogue and Fairtrade products.... we now have some ideas for 'stations' next time having seen the ideas and the space first hand with a genuine passing traffic [between REBEL Sport and Charlestown Square Shopping Centre]

A range of committed Uniting Church folk and UCATSA tertiary students of various flavours wore t-shirts pondering "what I want for Christmas is....." depicting goats, wells, etc on the back!! This was a Uniting Church U-Turn group!!

Live music was our centre piece in the rotunda with the usual rotation of embarrassingly talented muso's and singers on tap in these Hunter networks!!

Thanks go to all who participated... including those excluded from the Centre by Security for their subversion of the consumerist myth of happiness by material possessions!!

Some photos will appear here... others will later be uploaded to our yahoogroup space and a flickr panel in the right column!!
Well done and thanks to the core Team who made this possible!!

NEXT year....
three sided gazebo tents
backdrops
4 art installations
a wardrobe with holes cut for 34cm tv's
vox pop video about 'what christmas means to me'
invite Juan Mann to join us with his free hugs
maybe move from the Mall to a community hall or space somewhere with through traffic where a bbq and fire twirling could happen
alternative nativity
negotiate one installation to be in a shop window and out real people in a scene as if mannequins
so it goes on......

And the Archibald view

The artist makes an interesting observation through the storm clouds and an expression not normally associated with the Member for Kingsford Smith... Peter Garrett