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FLOATING LAND ENVIRONMENTAL EXHIBITION...........Boreen Point, Queensland 2009
Floating Land is a bi-annual 10-day art festival held in the Noosa region. Originally it focused on 'art (mainly sculpture) in the environment' but over the years the event has attracted a wider audience and it now includes photographers,writers,performers and academics.
In the 2009 event selected artists explored the theme of climate change and the impact of rising sea levels on coastal and island communities.
Floating Land has gained national and international recognition for nurturing art and environmental themes.
This installation was a collaboration between myself and Queensland Artist, Corrie Wright. The title of the work is 'Wandering Thirst'.
Check our blogsite for full documentation of work processes.
http://tkirbycwright.blogspot.com/
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' ART HUB' Landscaping Project 2008 Pine Rivers Special School
PROJECT BRIEF ( edit this blurb !!!!)
Pine Rivers Special School received funding to engage an Artist in Residence to work with the students and staff during a planned period from June to November 2008. The intention was to develop and deliver a public art piece to be incorporated into their school.
The aim was to include as many students as possible throughout the project.
The project was to express/enhance/reflect the general aesthetic of the school.
The artist was to deliver a range of creative experiences to the students.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
explored the environment
gathered stories and information about the school and the surrounding area
assessed the students abilities
discussed themes, ideas and visions from approximately 120 students and staff
- As a number of the students were already involved in a horticultural component at the school,
My thoughts were directed towards marrying the two mediums of visual art and horticulture by working with plants and creating an ‘art in nature’ piece. The main consideration was to continually be aware of the contemporary aesthetic needed to create a shift of perspective from the general forms of traditional gardening and landscaping, to an integral art piece……… a living sculpture, semi ephemeral, changing with the seasons, the image morphing with the effects of the weather and the impact of UV light .
THE CONCEPT – ‘The Art Hub’
The objective was to create an area that can be utilized as an ‘outdoor’ gallery. It is a space where students throughout the school can exhibit their work on an ongoing basis.
The audience will consist of their fellow students/staff/parents/siblings/careers and the wider community. It would be an ever changing space, a place of interest and innovation.
The aim was to develop the chosen site as much as possible, with the available funding. The main feature of the ‘Art Hub’ will be a 'drawing/painting' low relief installation that will be set into the earth on the grass slope. The selected theme for the image was ‘Your Perfect School”. Drawings were done by a number of individual students, and the spontaneous nature of their artwork was considered an integral part of the overall aesthetic of the Project. The students were encouraged to embrace their authentic creative impulses and not be restricted by the conventional standards of ‘classroom art’.
The existing railing would provide yet another canvas for the students to resolve over the coming year. The railing theme,’ Life in the Wetlands’, will consist of images that will develop a link between the top boundary of the ‘Art Hub’ and the bottom boundary, being the wetlands itself.
The completed project....
- Reflects and interprets the school and its students
Explores the richness of the students art work
Engages the viewer in an informative and stimulating manner
- Is interactive
- Is fresh and innovative
- Encourages ownership
Other important considerations during the concept stage were……….
- To involve as many students as possible throughout the whole process
- Interactive site
- Sensory elements
- Musical element
- Sense of ownership
- Learning area
- A place of reflection
- A journey
- A changing environment (semi ephemeral)
- Thought provoking
THE PROCESS
The development process of the work was structured in a way that would involve as many students as possible.
As a backdrop to the gallery the students will create the first ‘painting’ to be exhibited in the space.
Students were actively involved in drawing images reflecting their personal interactions/connections with the school.
A number of suitable drawings were selected and were translated into a composition suitable for the site. This composition was scaled up and superimposed on to the 20m x 10m grass canvas, using line marking paint. Clay pavers and rolls of a specialized lawn edging material were dug into the ground to form the outline of the image. The negative space that surrounds the image was left as natural grass and the positive space within the pavers and lawn edging was ‘coloured in’ with a mixture of ground covers, plants, slabs of pristine, drought resistant turf and river pebbles of different sizes. A selection of the river pebbles were left in their natural state and others were spray painted to add vibrant colour to particular areas.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The Project provided a number of learning outcomes for the students and staff. Examples:-
- Developed information for future curriculum material and gave insight to the art and design process required for an artwork on public display.
- Utilized new materials and processes
- Created the awareness of their own impact on the environment.
- Involved them in the process of ‘co-construction’
- Allowed the opportunity to have access to a variety of tools (and learn how to use them)
- Provided an integrated experience between them and a practicing artist.
- Introduced music into the school
My thoughts were directed towards marrying the two mediums of visual art and horticulture by working with plants and creating an ‘art in nature’ piece. The main consideration was to continually be aware of the contemporary aesthetic needed to create a shift of perspective from the general forms of traditional gardening and landscaping, to an integral art piece……… a living sculpture, semi ephemeral, changing with the seasons, the image morphing with the effects of the weather and the impact of UV light .
THE CONCEPT – ‘The Art Hub’
The objective was to create an area that can be utilized as an ‘outdoor’ gallery. It is a space where students throughout the school can exhibit their work on an ongoing basis.
The audience will consist of their fellow students/staff/parents/siblings/careers and the wider community. It would be an ever changing space, a place of interest and innovation.
The aim was to develop the chosen site as much as possible, with the available funding. The main feature of the ‘Art Hub’ will be a 'drawing/painting' low relief installation that will be set into the earth on the grass slope. The selected theme for the image was ‘Your Perfect School”. Drawings were done by a number of individual students, and the spontaneous nature of their artwork was considered an integral part of the overall aesthetic of the Project. The students were encouraged to embrace their authentic creative impulses and not be restricted by the conventional standards of ‘classroom art’.
The existing railing would provide yet another canvas for the students to resolve over the coming year. The railing theme,’ Life in the Wetlands’, will consist of images that will develop a link between the top boundary of the ‘Art Hub’ and the bottom boundary, being the wetlands itself.
The completed project....
- Reflects and interprets the school and its students
Explores the richness of the students art work
Engages the viewer in an informative and stimulating manner - Is interactive
- Is fresh and innovative
- Encourages ownership
- To involve as many students as possible throughout the whole process
- Interactive site
- Sensory elements
- Musical element
- Sense of ownership
- Learning area
- A place of reflection
- A journey
- A changing environment (semi ephemeral)
- Thought provoking
The development process of the work was structured in a way that would involve as many students as possible.
As a backdrop to the gallery the students will create the first ‘painting’ to be exhibited in the space.
Students were actively involved in drawing images reflecting their personal interactions/connections with the school.
A number of suitable drawings were selected and were translated into a composition suitable for the site. This composition was scaled up and superimposed on to the 20m x 10m grass canvas, using line marking paint. Clay pavers and rolls of a specialized lawn edging material were dug into the ground to form the outline of the image. The negative space that surrounds the image was left as natural grass and the positive space within the pavers and lawn edging was ‘coloured in’ with a mixture of ground covers, plants, slabs of pristine, drought resistant turf and river pebbles of different sizes. A selection of the river pebbles were left in their natural state and others were spray painted to add vibrant colour to particular areas.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The Project provided a number of learning outcomes for the students and staff. Examples:-
- Developed information for future curriculum material and gave insight to the art and design process required for an artwork on public display.
- Utilized new materials and processes
- Created the awareness of their own impact on the environment.
- Involved them in the process of ‘co-construction’
- Allowed the opportunity to have access to a variety of tools (and learn how to use them)
- Provided an integrated experience between them and a practicing artist.
- Introduced music into the school
