ART INSTALLATION - WIRED FOR WONDER - COMMONWEALTH BANK 2014
THE BRIEF
To design an interactive art installation for the Commonwealth Bank’s annual Wired For Wonder conference, which reflects the theme; Technology, Life, Business, Arts, Science and Awe. Sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank: www.wiredforwonder.com, designed by Kerri Ainsworth, The Designing Woman and manufactured by Allplastics Engineering: http://www.allplastics.com.au.
THE DESIGN PROCESS – From Concept to Installation
Kerri was inspired by the reflective qualities of French designer, Arnaud Lapierre’s installation for Audi, showcased in 2011 in Place Vendome, Paris and Danish artist Jeppe Hein’s “Mirror Labyrinth.”
She wanted to create something interactive and immersive; reflecting the audience and their environment. The concept sketches were then transformed into a series of 3D renders by CAD draftsman, Johan Betrom (http://www.betromdesign.com/contact.php) and presented to the Wired For Wonder program manager, Sarah Roocroft for approval.
Johan then drafted up a series of CAD drawings for Raffi Kalloghlian, at Allplastics Engineering (http://www.allplastics.com.au/), who was then briefed on its fabrication.
CONSTRUCTION
The installation was made up of 34 separate cubes. Each cube was clad in 3mm mirror acrylic over a timber frame. The cubes formed an S-shaped configuration, 4 layers high. Each cube was pinned to the one above with machined location pins. Because of the complex curves, this had to be done with absolute precision. The cubes in contact with the floor, all had adjustable, rubber footings for stability.
ASSEMBLY – NIDA Foyer
Although visually simple; the installation involved a great deal of precision work, using levels and templates to lock it in place. It took 3 men, 9 hours to install
THE EVENT – WIRED FOR WONDER (NIDA)
The installation reflected the buzz of the conference, as the guests and speakers circulated, chatting, networking and mingling. On day two they interacted with the piece; drawing and writing on its surface with fluorescent pens; ideas, catch phrases and significant comments from keynote speakers.
The central feature of the Australia Day Spectacular was a floating, mechanical installation, inspired by the floral icon of NSW; the Waratah. I’d like to take you on a pictorial journey, behind the scenes, to examine the processes involved in creating this installation.
THE BRIEF
The brief was to create a giant, floating, mechanical Waratah, using pulleys and winches to open it’s petals for a spectacular reveal. It was to float in the middle of Darling Harbour on a flat-top barge with 2 shipping containers (housing the generators and mechanics) as its base. The reveal involved 32 LED covered stamen, which could change colour, smoke effects, fireworks and projected images on a fan-shaped water-screen, which rose from its centre.
THE DESIGN PROCESS – From Concept Sketches to Final Design
Research forms the basis of my inspiration. These two images inspired the shape and configuration of the Waratah.
The next step was to create a series of concept sketches. These were first approved by my client, event producer, Andrew Walsh (http://www.accolade.net.au/) and then the end client, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.
Andrew approved the concept sketches, and suggested we transform them into a series of 3D renders. The artist was briefed and the renders presented to the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority for approval. They approved the idea and agreed to a budget. A steel construction workshop and other suppliers were consulted in order to get a costing on fabrication. Unfortunately this exceeded the budget, so it was back to the drawing board. I came up with another simpler and less expensive version, that satisfied the brief and in many ways, from a design perspective, was superior to the initial one.
Once the new design was approved, it was again costed. This time it came in on budget. A series of meetings with the steel fabricators and engineer, to discuss how to make it strong and safe, while adhering to the integrity of the structure. This is quite a fluid process, when different solutions are considered and sometimes replaced, when better ones are put forward. The next step was to get the design drawn up by a specialist CAD draftsman (Johann: http://www.betromdesign.com/)
CONSTRUCTION – From the Workshop to the Docks
The Waratah was constructed using formed, rolled steel, covered with PVC, marine mesh skins and a steel spider frame base. The construction phase involved regular meetings at the workshop with the steel fabricators, the production manager and later Nans Tarps (http://www.nanstarps.com.au/), who were fabricating the petal skins.
ASSEMBLY – WHITE BAY DOCKS
All the individual components arrived on the docks at White Bay for assembly. LED Happy Tubes were attached to the individual stamen, which were then mounted onto the steel spider frame and hoisted onto the containers and secured. A box truss tower was erected, rising from the barge floor up through the centre of the stamen to house the water-screen. Finally a crane moved the individual petals into position onto the framework.
THE EVENT AT DARLING HARBOUR
THE BIRTH OF ECO|LOGICAL|ART
In 2012 a colleague and I hatched an exciting new business idea; a multi-disciplinary art and design practice operating at the intersection of ecology, sculpture, architecture, live performance and installation art. We wanted to develop a service that provides an interface between the Business and the Art World, out of which, ECO|LOGICAL|ART was born.
Our aim is to raise your profile through Public Art Projects and purpose Designed Events, harnessing the diverse skills of established Industry Professionals, making your Branding synonymous with Ecologically Sound Ideals.
The Knowledge Wall – The Sustainable Living Festival
Wyn Wilson, a Los Angeles based graphic recorder and I, launched The Knowledge Wall at the Sustainable Living Festival in Melbourne in February 2013. This is an event, which captures the community’s ideas on Social and Ecological Sustainability in words and pictures. The format is fun, engaging and interactive. It’s aim is to capture the community’s thoughts, ideas and solutions on sustainable living. A combination of pertinent questions and responses, are then visually reinforced in words and pictures. This process is a powerful tool in visualising problems and solutions. It’s a visual form of brainstorming which raises public awareness about environmental issues.
Public Art & Event Design: A Synthesis Of Sustainability, Environmental Awareness, Beauty & Functionality
The idea of creating or displaying public art often stems from the philosophy that art enriches the life and culture of a community and helps people to think critically about social issues. Rather than viewing art in an austere museum setting, where the viewer is distanced from the work, public art becomes part of the community, interacting with it instead of being passively observed. As such, art and design created for public exhibition are great vehicles for expressing ideas and creating awareness. These artists and designers can be powerful educators, inventing new and visually descriptive ways to illustrate, in a public forum, how the concerns of society can best be achieved.
In a paper I recently presented at the conference, Design Principles and Practices at Sapienza University in Rome, I examined some of the ways contemporary creators of public art and event design are expressing their concerns for the environment, through their work. Please feel free to download a copy of the Presentation.
