A temporary interpretive installation in the Perth Cultural Centre
Location: Perth Cultural Centre (PCC), WA
Client: Commonwealth Festival / Perth International Arts Festival
Time frame: 2011
Services provided by Syrinx
Botany and Ecology; Graphics and Signage; Interpretative Landscapes; Knowledge Integration; Landscape Architecture; Specialist Construction
Project Phases Delivered
Project Phases Details
A temporary interpretive installation in the Perth Cultural Centre
The project was part of the Commonwealth Festival Perth 2011 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Titled ‘Our Extraordinary Environment’, the installation took the form of a sprawling outdoor exhibit of plants, soils, geology and images to showcase the richness and diversity of Western Australia’s natural and cultural landscape.
Hundreds of custom designed plywood suitcases, brimming with plants and imagery, were placed throughout the urban landscape of the PCC. Conceptually, the suitcases referenced our globally connected society, the international exchange of ideas and the import and export of plants and animals. As objects, the suitcase performed multiple functions; sculptures, signboards, display cases, seats.
Concentrations of suitcases were organised across the PCC into three biodiversity regions: the southwest forests, the Kimberley wetlands and the Shark Bay coastal communities. Similar to an environmental survey, each suitcase was considered akin to a quadrant sample; a snap-shot of an ecosystem, referencing key biodiversity features of each region through a variety of media including vegetation, artworks, fauna illustrations, soil and text.
Key outcomes
- Transformation of the PCC into an activated and engaging biodiversity hotspot to help portray the festival’s vision to showcase the diversity of Western Australia – to delegates and visitors alike.
- A quick win activation strategy for the Perth International Arts Festival to complement the existing place activation elements of the PCC with spectacle, amenity and information.
- Provision of an interactive and visually stimulating means of raising awareness of WA’s unique and diverse flora and fauna.
Credits
Artworks within cases:
Artists represented by the Waringarri Aboriginal Arts Centre
Louise Malarvie, Bryan Murielle, Phyllis Ningarmara, Kittey Malarvie, Alan Griffiths, Peggy Griffiths, Judy Mengil, Peter Newry, Billy Duncan
Photographs within cases:
Richard Woldendorp
Flora illustrations within cases:
Fremantle Arts Centre Press
Philippa Nikulinsky, Stephen D Hopper, Rica Erickson, Pat Dundas, Ellen Hickman, Katrina Syme
