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DIVERSE
- A Contemporary Arts and Community Cultural Development
Project
The
Bundaberg Art Centre Residency Program |
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Thumbnail
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Project
Component Summaries and Image Links Page |
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The
Bundaberg Arts Centre bank vault site has had a parallel historical
relationship to the economic and social conditions of the various communities
in the Bundaberg region and along the Burnett river system.We originally
chose the word divers ( old english spelling ) to point to literally,
diversity and metaphorically that we would become divers going deep seeking
out a rich history, producing an installation work that tracks and records
the various histories and contemporary experiences of people. The vault
once a repository of material wealth now an art-space has become an 'active'
repository for those rich histories and experiences expressed during the
workshops and the work done with the community by the resident artist.
Email The Bundaberg
Arts Centre artsc@bundaberg.qld.gov.au
Ph: 61 7 41523700
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During
the Diverse residency the installation in the vault went through three phases
of development. First as a sound installation transmitted by radio that
appeared to emanate from the closed vault as a person approached, the sounds
of construction and an imaginary conversation would be heard inviting participation.
The second phase was shown as a series of projections and a sound installation
that showed the to date progress of the project in the now partly opened
vault. The third stage manifested in the complete opening of the vault with
the full scale of the workshops and dialogue between community participants
and the artist that occurred during the previous 10 weeks was shown. |
| Vault
Installation |
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Making
paper from sugarcane was a central skilling activity and conceptually
important for Diverse.The nature of the project was represented with a
truth to materials approach and a respect for the lived experiences of
all participants. Lesa Hepburn of Red Hot Fibre delivered the workshop
to over forty community participants over three days. The workshop facility
was provided by The Bundaberg Endeavour ATSS and we were given workshop
support by Carinbundi's Mary Brown and artists Tia, Ariella Anderson,
Sue Hackney & Linda Pringle. The outcomes of the papermaking workshop
skilling provided a platform to continue and active engagement with the
community.
Email Lesa Hepburn redhotfibre@uqconnect.net |
| Paper
makers |
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The
Diverse Home arts workshops provided the opportunity for a number of people
from the community to work on providing the content of histories memories
and experiences for the project. Six half day sessions were delivered by
Ross and Ruth Barber at the Endeavour facility with forty eight participants
in all and one session was provided at Bargara Public School by Ross Barber
and Sue Hackney for 18, year 7 students. A number of people chose to work
independently to either make work at home or provided objects or images.
Carinbundi Respite Centre also conducted a series of in house sessions to
develop their support workers and people utilising services the skills.
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| Mark
at work |
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Tent
or house like sculptures placed in the final installation were made from
the sugarcane paper that all participants worked on in the Home workshops
or at home. The concept for the forms came from the reading of historical
letters written by the first europeans who came into the region. For me
the letters or the writing of them were a form of shelter warding off
the feelings of hardship and alienation, the communication, a thin skin,
a delicate membrane connecting tenuously with a distant 'home' from a
then alien place, that during the passage of time was soon to become less
alien now home.
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| House
form John |
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March
31- April 2. In the Blink of an eye was a three day multi media experimental
laboratory facilitated by Di Collier where possibilities of performance
making were explored. Many of the participants had limited ability to communicate
through speech. The labs aimed to foster creative engagement through the
use of alternative methods specific to the needs of the individual participants.
These devices were developed through collaborative experimentation between
participants and their support workers. Integral to the development was
the premise that creative decision making was participant driven.
Email Di Collier dicollier@linkt.com.au |
| In
the Blink of a Eye |
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Community |
The
nature of the Diverse project made it possible for the resident artist Ross
Barber to engage with the wider community in a number of ways outside of
the workshops through the process' of interviewing a number of people about
their relationship to this place and others, their perceptions of the changing
economy and the social and physical environment. The project was supported
in a number of ways by ABC Radio, members of The Bundaberg University of
the Third Age, The Bundaberg & District Historical Museum, 96.3 BREEZE Fm
Community Radio, Carinbundi Respite Centre, Endeavour ATSS and the YMCA.
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Resident
Artist |
Ross
Barber's work covers a range of art forms and concerns, site-specific installation,
contemporary multi-arts practice and collaborative community cultural development
projects. His work has been represented in major site specific installation
projects and touring exhibitions. He has taught sculpture drawing and professional
practice in graduate postgraduate and diploma courses, undertaken residencies
in Australia in Europe and Asia. In 2003 Ross was awarded a Commonwealth
Centenary Medal for Distinguished Service to the Arts.
Email Ross Barber barberr@squirrel.com.au
www.rossbarber.com
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Ross
Barber |
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