Hobart will soon be bursting into colour with a new program from the City of Hobart which will present art and design concepts as printed artworks on construction site fencing and hard hoarding.
Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the ART SITES Creative Hoarding program aims to “enliven our streets and change the vibe that public works and developments bring to the city”.
“When the mesh fencing goes up it often means something great is on its way,” Cr Reynolds said.
“New housing, improved streetscapes, better shopping. But in the meantime it can feel dull and a bit ugly for neighbouring business, residents and passers-by.
“ART SITES seeks to change that by providing a collection of original contemporary local Tasmanian artworks to use on construction sites.
“The art will be available for commercial as well as City of Hobart projects.”
The four artists commissioned for Art Sites are Kat Scarlet, Robert O’Connor, Daniel Gray-Barnett and Tasmanian First Nations designer Michelle Maynard.
Creative City Portfolio Chair Cr Kelly said the artists were chosen for their bold and engaging style.
“The works showcase the iconic Tasmanian landscape, First Nations design, fantastic fungi and chaotic collage, all in vibrant contemporary styles,” Cr Kelly said.
“The aim is to turn construction sites into public galleries that enliven our city while providing an opportunity for some of our best local artists to display their works on a large scale.”
The first Creative Hoarding has been installed at the City of Hobart Salamanca Place Precinct Upgrade construction site.
The works are the final stage of the $3.5 million project aimed at making it easier and safer for pedestrians to move around the area from Salamanca Place to the waterfront.
The bold landscape work Suspended Breath: a Hartz Journey is from Huonville artist Kat Scarlet which she describes as a love letter to Southern Tasmania’s Hartz Mountain National Park.
“I am thrilled to be involved with this fantastic project,” Ms Scarlet said.
“The opportunity to get my artwork out to a wider audience is amazing but also being able to give the residents of Hobart, and its visitors, the chance to engage with art in the public domain is great too.
“Hoardings are typically uninspiring to look at so to have these giant expanses of colour is going to be pretty special.
“I hope people see my work and are inspired to visit the beautiful wild places that we are so fortunate to have on our doorstep here in Tasmania.”
Commercial construction and development companies are encouraged to get in contact if they are interested in having a Creative Hoarding installed for an upcoming Hobart municipality project.
