Saturday, May 26, 2012

Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney



In the loch
blood stricken
time hidden lay lost
under this place of birth
under your mind lies a tunnel
under this stone salty darkness
forgotten place of docks and ships.

"Sydney's buried history you'll never get to see.
The historian Grace Karskens was incredulous. The Museum of Contemporary Art intended marking the nation's oldest dockyard buried beneath the gallery's $53 million extension with an arrow pointing to concrete. Andrew, a contemporary artist of Wiradjuri and Scottish descent, whose flashing arrow will be unveiled at the museum's re-opening this month, said it would help to make the history visible. Drawing on an indigenous shield design, the arrow's zig-zag black and white pattern would be animated in LED lights, creating a hypnotic effect and drawing attention to the site from as far as the Opera House, he said. ''It's a pretty significant reference … the LED is a strong light source, so you are going to be drawn to it,'' he said. His words, inspired by archaeological reports on the dockyard and by his heritage, will be laser cut into the ground below the arrow."  SMH 17 March 2012

Visit other Weekends in Black and White.

9 comments:

  1. Interesting, but is it art?

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  2. Creative post. A good composition in B&W!

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  3. Firstly, it works in B&W as an image Great contrasts and food for the eye.

    However, like Grace, I am aghast!! But there is really no easy solution. The entire Tank Stream is covered over and it enters the cove just at that corner. And all along that edge of the cove is historically irreplaceable. But progress will not be stopped.

    Flashing LEDs are just tacky ... but what the hell would I know.

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  4. At least they didn't stick a casino on top of it. There will be a much tackier monument to mark the site of the historic Hungry Mile wharves(now Barangaroo).

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  5. Fine image and composition. I find the story fascinating, though I can't say I'm fond of any flashing lights.

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  6. The art well presented. Have a nice weekend!

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  7. Wonderful photo! I really like the composition here!
    :)

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