vsw100 Art and Creativity Online Activities Portfolio 1 Part 2

Week 4: Project Two: Art + Public Space
Week 4 Exercise 2: Research and Response (Visual Diary & Discussion Board)
Public Art Online - Signature Work (2004) Emily Floyd
The Artist Choice of Material
The Signature Work (2004) by Emily Floyd is made from aluminium-plate and painted with black Polyurethane paint. The colour
black could relate back to the Black Otter doe, a particular breed of rabbit. But it could also do with the urban interface of the
Docklands in Melbourne as the sculpture needed to meet a criteria for Docklands themes of indigenous history, maritime, water,
industrial history and urban interface (Holsworth 2013). I feel that the colour was important as it says something about the breed of
the rabbit, but also because it blended in nicely with its immediate surroundings. The sculpture is in the form of a giant Rabbit and
(eyes 2010)
comes across as cute to most but sometimes unsettling due to its height.
The marks in the rabbit have been made through shaping the aluminium.
These marks are important as they help to establish the shape of the
rabbit. The surface appears smooth and shiny. It remind me of a small
Easter egg bunny. It could be possible that the materials used to create
the rabbit were sourced locally as I noticed there are a few companies
dealing with aluminium-plate. But also many of the buildings surrounding
the Rabbit would also have used aluminium-plate in the structure of their
buildings. I think Emily would have used the aluminium-plates to create
a strong sturdy structure of an enlarged toy rabbit that the people could
relate to through childhood memories. I believe Emily is concerned with
how the material will fit in with its surroundings and remarks on the
childhood memories, in both a playful and sardonic manner. Aluminium-
plates are used in many different field for many different objects so it is
hard to connect this material with any one thing particularly. Depending
on the type of materials used, my response may or may not change
regarding the different materials visually, however the way I interpret the
Rabbit and its meaning could change dramatically. I could interpret its
colour to be a different breed of rabbit, or the texture I might understand
how it related to this environment differently or wether or not its
possible that the materials were or could have been obtained locally.
The Relationship of the Artwork to Its Location
Docklands over the years has become a
well know attraction in Melbourne and is
home to many, but its also where the
waters edge meets Melbourne. Its
economically, socially and
environmentally friendly (Melbourne
Docklands History and Heritage n.d.). The
sculpture was intended to be appealing
and enjoyable for families living in the area
or simply visiting the area (Admin 2011). It
was also intended to become part of an
urban landscape of the Melbourne
Docklands (eyes 2010). However I dont
feel that the work is site specific and
believe it could be placed just about
anywhere and still have the same
relationship.
(Melbourne Docklands History and
Heritage n.d.)
(Legg n.d.)
The Artist Choice of Scale
Emily choose to make this a large scale sculpture standing almost four
meters in height. Yes I was very surprised by the size of this sculpture as
its not every day you see a rabbit of this size. If it was any bigger I would
be asking myself what the aim of the work was. If it was smaller I think I
would understand and associate to the work a little more, as for me
rabbits are small in size, so it feels unrealistic to me, although I realise
that Emilie's aim was not to be realistic but rather sarcastic and playful.
(Floyd 2004)
How The Public Space Influences The Reading of The Work
Emily Floyd
Signature
Work I dont
believe is
influenced at
all by the
public space
as I feel you
could take the
sculpture to a
new location
and it would
still be read as
playful and
sardonic. I
think its more
that the
sculpture
gives meaning
to the
Docklands
suggesting
that the
Docklands can
be playful and
sardonic.
(Floyd, Signature Work (2004) 2004)
The Dandenong Pig 200 Word Response Week 4 Online Activity
Describe the relationship between the artwork and the site.
The Dandenong Pig was re-instated at the Dandenong Market on
the 30th August 2013 where he was recognised as a sign of
social, cultural and historical significance in Greater Dandenong.
(Dandenong 2013).

Does this work reflect the immediate environment in some way?
The materials used in the Dandenong Pig were commonly used in
the industrial environment. This could be reflective of the
immediate environment during the 1950s as Dandenong had
become one of the main metropolitan manufacturing and
commercial areas (Wikipedia n.d.) and still is today.

Do you think the artwork responds to any historical associations
attached to this site?
The Dandenong Pig started out as part of a bigger sign which was
part of the Gippsland Co-operative Bacon Curing Company logo
located at the Dandy Bacon shop on Lonsdale Street (Princes
Highway) (Dandenong 2013).

Is the work site specific: site responsive or not particularly
connected to the context in any way?
The Name The Dandenong Pig is site specific, however the
sculpture as a greeting sign could be located at most entrances
and be read as a greeting sign.

Do you think the work is successful? Why?
I believe the work is successful in greeting the people of
Dandenong as he was well dressed in formal morning dress, taking
on and off his hat to welcome the people into Dandenong.
Imagine you have created this artwork. Upon reflection is there
something you might alter about the work? Why?
I dont believe I would have altered anything with this work as it
was successful just the way it is, to alter it would risk losing
something in the process.
(Unknown, Dandy Pig sign fully
illuminated 2013)
Thread:Week 4 Online ActivityPost:Week 4 Online ActivityAuthor: Gaylene DuncanPosted Date:December 18, 2013 3:15
PMStatus:Published Hi Tanisha and Fellow Students here is my Week 4 Online Activity. I decided to go with the local public art and do
the Dandenong Pig. Feel free to discuss it with me. Cheers Gaylene Attachment: Week 4 Online Activity.pptx (151.413 KB)
Reply Quote Mark as Unread

Thread:Week 4 Online ActivityPost:RE: Week 4 Online ActivityAuthor: Rebecca CawthornePosted Date:December 19, 2013 3:36
PMStatus:Published What an awesome pig! I'm glad the piece was restored and used again. Reply Quote Mark as Unread

Thread:Week 4 Online ActivityPost:RE: Week 4 Online ActivityAuthor: Gaylene DuncanPosted Date:December 19, 2013 5:14
PMStatus:Published Hi Rebecca yes I agree. I was cursing that I just couldn't get a great photo pf it at night. It really is beautiful to look
at but sadly the neons just glowed to much. Would need a special feature to take it right. Cheers Gaylene Reply Quote Mark as Unread

Thread:Week 4 Online ActivityPost:RE: Week 4 Online ActivityAuthor: Rebecca CawthornePosted Date:December 20, 2013 7:20
AMStatus:Published Hi Gaylene, I've had the same problems before trying to capture neon signs at night... so I googled for some help
which lead to lots of conflicting information (as always) but here are a few sites that might
help:http://www.whirljack.net/jeremybrooks/2010/09/16/10-tips-for-shooting-neon/
http://pamphotography.wordpress.com/2011/08/20/how-to-photograph-neon-signs/ http://www.popphoto.com/how-
to/2010/10/how-to-shoot-neon-lights http://capitalphotographycenter.com/blog/article/10-tips-for-shooting-the-lights-at-night Good
luck and let me know if any of the advice works :) and I'd love to see your pics! ~Bec Reply Quote Mark as Unread

AMStatus:Published Hi Bec thanks so much for the links. I will certainly give them a look. Im only using a camera on my iphone so it is
hard to begin with. But if they lead to something I will certainly let you know. I appreciate you taking the time to share them with me.
Cheers Gaylene

Thread:Week 4 Online ActivityPost:RE: Week 4 Online ActivityAuthor: Debbie ArnoldPosted Date:December 20, 2013 6:59
AMStatus:Published Gaylene, the 'Dandy Pig' looks so vibrant at night, such vivid colours. So different from shots taken during the
daytime where you could almost drive past without noticing it. I like it because it is quirky and a real piece of history. Deb
AMStatus:Published Hi Deb I agree at night its a real sight but come day very boring. You know I had not realised it had been placed up
their. It was only research that made me notice he was back. But see I don't tend to go there at night so your correct it would be mist
during the day. Sad really as it's so nice. I to love the quirky and history of it. Cheers Gaylene Reply Quote Mark as Unread

Thread:Week 4 Online ActivityPost:RE: Week 4 Online ActivityAuthor: Yasmin CatlynPosted Date:December 20, 2013 9:00
AMStatus:Published Hi Gaylene, This is a great piece to greet people in Dandenong, the jolly and dapper, super-bright pig. The historical
reference is very strong. As a vegetarian, I find it a bit disturbing to see an anthropomorphised pig used so freely to greet potential
customers, that is, people who might eat the pig! As an image placed in the context of past industrial purposing and now as a relic of
times past, it has layers of experience and meaning added to the sight of it, giving it even more potency in its current use as an artwork. It
makes me wonder what has changed in Dandenong or the local bacon industry or in the target audience perhaps, for it to be repurposed
in this way. Very thought provoking artwork, thankyou for sharing it. Best, Yasmin Reply Quote Mark as Unread

AMStatus:Published Hi Yasmin I totally understand your disturbing feelings and for that I do apologies. Must be hard to see these types of
things when your a vegetarian. Yes I felt that its history gave it more meaning also. In terms of what has changed in Dandenong not a lot
really. The market has a big meat section in their and has be recently done up to attract more people. I think because of the Dandenong
pig being originally from the part of a bigger sign which was part of the Gippsland Co-operative Bacon Curing Company logo is really one
of two of the connections. The other being that where it was originally located it would welcome the people to dandenong, so I guess
they felt it could welcome the people to the market. Dandenong is still very much an industrial area but is much larger these days. Cheers
Gaylene Reply Quote Mark as Unread

Thread:Week 4 Online ActivityPost:RE: Week 4 Online ActivityAuthor: Danielle DelaneyPosted Date:December 27, 2013 11:16
AMStatus:Published I think the thing I like about this the most is the historical value of the art and how it was salvaged and given new life.
Very interesting and great response Reply Quote Mark as Unread

PMStatus:Published Hi Danielle yes it has so much value added to it due to it's history I feel. Like you I love that it's been given a new life
but particularly like that they tried to keep the history the same in it's new surroundings. Cheers Gaylene Reply Quote Mark as Unread
The Meandering River Text
Public art is continually changing throughout the years to accommodate new ideas and models, through an uncertain time to determine
how art can adjust or inspire the public realm. The is a need for change in the way human activity is being carried out as a result of the
changes occurring in political climate and the economies. For the self-destructive gen to be push aside there needs to be a change in
shared preconceptions that governed ideas and shape our research and analysis. There are many people in the world that have already
been working toward this change and many artists are included amongst these people. The way a city is built and rebuilt demonstrates
for a political effect and art is very much a part of this. However the direction of public-ness is now controlled more by private and
profitable interests. Many post-industrial words have been alter with a specific purpose of use intended by developers and are no longer
are democratic structures that work individual but functions as a whole. As a result often art is put in place to create a visual distraction.
The turn of the century brought the realisation that public space needed to be reclaimed. The government now finds itself trying to
figure how to prevent developers taking over for profit and making room for public good. History and rituals are being lost due to
insurance and greed. Ancient models such as festivals are diminished as a result of built up societies as there is no longer a need for
them. These types of events have become irrelevant at the hands of the brokers and investments. The link between tourism and
spending for major artworks in the public space encourages those who doubt or denies good intentions for human motives to come to
the understanding that contemporary art is part of an approach to generate profit. (Ms Stephanie Britton 2010)
However often admission to museums is free
making it a valuable commodity to any city or
region. Another prevalent art practice is art
that explores failure of social planning, which
has been around since the mid-nineties. This
looks for untrained artist and how to find
ways for it to become part of collaboration
where art is not a household word. The
thought behind public art is appealing to
supporters around the world. Satellite
networks of commissioners and curators are
coming together to look at long term
projects. (Ms Stephanie Britton 2010)
(Ms Stephanie Britton 2010)
(Eliasson 2009)
Olafur Eliasson is a Danish-Icelandic artist, and is well known for his large-scale installations which incorporate materials like light, water
and temperature to increase the audiences experience. (TATE n.d.) Olafur Eliasson refers to his studio as a laboratory, a place for
experiments and meetings to take place. As part of his involvement at the University of Fine Arts in Berlin he attends a meeting called
the Life in Space, which explores why we do things. Eliasson through an experiment with a cross, colour circle and then its
complimentary colour, shows us how, when he is saying something our eyes and brains are saying something else. This is known as
constituting reality. To do this we need to ask a serious of questions such as: What is its potential? Whos the author?, Whos the
receiver?, Whos the consumer? And whos responsible for what people see? Eliasson believes that socializing dimensions are partly
responsible for all these answers and ask that we ask ourselves to consider Who decides what reality is? Eliasson questioned if space
could be tangible and then showed us through his work Tate Modern in London, that space could be made tangible by adding elements
such as fog, haze and a mirror. These simple elements made people begin to see themselves in the space. The people began to question if
they were seeing themselves or someone else. So they started to move about to see the effects. It was during this time they began to
make the connections between body and space. Eliasson ask us again to think about how we reconfigure space or how we know being in
space makes a difference? Eliasson says why meant really and ask himself, when he takes a step what affects will come from this
action? Do these affects matter? Does his existence make a difference to the world? Does these affects from his actions become a problem
if they led to someone having to take responsibility for them? He questions if this is what art is all about? Through his questions he comes
to the understanding that yes these things do have affects far beyond decorating the world. His teaching teaches us that its important that
we take responsibility for our actions. Its up to us to teach our viewers that space has different dimensions and time. We need to show
Olafur Eliasson Video
them through our art that art evaluates the relationships and explains
where they fit in the picture. What the differences are, but also how the
idea of thinking and doing is different. When asking the question How do
we create public space Eliasson first ask what the word public meant in
todays society. By doing so he felt it raised parliamentary ideas regarding,
democracy and public space, being considered together or singly. He
questioned how we create an idea that was acceptable to both collective
and individual without making them appear like opposites. He believed art
and culture can create a space suitable for both. That its about the effects
of these actions and how we link the ideas. He believed what stood
between thinking and doing was the experience in terms of taking part in
the world. (Eliasson 2009)
Week 5: Project Two: Art + Public Space Continued
Lecture 4 Site/Place Interaction Creatively Engaging The Real Work
Associate Professor Donal Fitzpatrick
Established site specific artists
Michael Heizer/ Robert Smithson/ Walter De Maria/
Nancy Holt Well-known in area of land art
achieved recognition in the 1970s. Represent
heritage in this ear.
Olafur Eliasson
Christo and Jeanne Claude popular culture famous
for large nature of the works and loads of media
attention.
Rirkrit Tiravanija (Fitzpatrick 2012)
Contemporary Site specific visual artists
Mathew Barney Contemporary artist Most
famous in contemporary figures (Blocks Partner)
Carsten Holler/ Tacita Dean work with video/relies
on documentation so work within photographic and
web based and lots of video.
Teresa Margolles Mexican artist, work could only be
realized at those sites did a huge body of work
based in the morgue in Mexico City. Some dealt with
vapours. She acts as a definition of the meaning site
specific.
Bas Jan Ader Contemporary work Nearly famous
in video form (Cremaster Series) only one available in
commercial release often advertised to be featured
as screening in a museum.
Hamish Fulton Contemporary work (Fitzpatrick
2012)

So site specific work is art work thats created to exist in
certain places, for a particular time.
(Fitzpatrick 2012)
Lecture 4 Site/Place Interaction Creatively Engaging The Real Work
Associate Professor Donal Fitzpatrick
Art work thats not site specific can be taken from one place to
another. There meaning are transitory and move with them. With
site specific this is not the case. The meaning doesnt transpose to
another location. If moved it would lose all, or a considerable part
of its meaning. It is often used in instillation works as in site-
specific installation and land mark art is site-specific by definition.
Installation art is three dimensional works and most times are site-
specific, designed to transform the opinion of space. This generally
is applied to interior spaces as exterior spaces tend to be referred
to as land art although at times these two can cross over. Land art
(Earth Art) links landscapes and art work together. So the artwork
is created in nature using natural materials. The landscape
becomes the means for the creation of the sculpture, rather than
the sculpture just being placed there. The works tend to be
located in the open, away from civilisation. These works tend to be
left to erode and change through natural conditions and become
ephemeral works which end up existing as video recordings or
photographic documents. They established the art form called
site-specific sculpture, which are intended for a precise outdoor
location. Public space is social space, accessible to the people. This
includes places like roads, pavements, public squares, parks,
beaches, libraries and government buildings open to the public.
(Fitzpatrick 2012)
(Fitzpatrick 2012)
Week 5 Web Based Research Sol LeWitt One, Two, Three, 2007
Maquette for one, Two, Three
New York 2007
assembled and painted balsa
wood11 5/8 x 22 3/4 x 11 5/8 in.
(29.4 x 57.9 x 29.5 cm)
Smithsonian American Art
Museum Transfer from the General
Services Administration, Art-in-
Architecture Program1979.159.44
Smithsonian American Art
Museum
Luce Foundation Center, 4th Floor,
50B (Museum n.d.)
Sol Le Witt maquette appeared maze like to me when I first seen it. I found it engaging the way it started with one square then
moved to a set of eight ending in a set of twenty-seven. Each set represents the one, two, three in the title. I also found it interesting
from a mathematical point of view and how it changed the dimensions of each set.. Sol Le Witt set out to enrich the communities
that surrounded this location and although the elements such as their shape and colour only emphasize the physical aspects of the
work (Museum n.d.) as he points out in his quote, I still believe that they have helped to contribute to the work, however it is the
physics behind the work such as the properties of the matter and their energy that I feel really captivates the viewers attention.
Luce Center Quote
"Color, surface, texture, and shape
only emphasize the physical
aspects of the work. Anything that
calls attention to and interests the
viewer in the physicality is a
deterrent to our understanding of
the idea." Sol LeWitt, Christian
Science Monitor, August
1978(Museum n.d.)
Week 5 Web Based Research Sol LeWitt One, Two, Three, 2007
The final large sculpture is interesting as due to its relationships with its surroundings, the
building and viewers , it becomes an object of space. (heartney 2007). What's intriguing is
when you look at the maquette and compare it to the large scale there is very little difference
between the two except for its size. I also noted that Sol Le Witt maquette is the same colour
as the intended final work. This is something I intend to put into my own practice as I feel it
give a more honest interpretation of the intended work. I think its interesting that he chose
to use balsa wood instead of aluminium in the maquette as the two materials are nothing
alike. But I figure it was used for ease of transportation as it is much lighter, but also about
keeping it simple. The realized piece is about thirty feet long and is situated at the James
Hanley Federal Building in Syracuse. (Kriston 2006). I feel Sol Le Witts quote is another aspect
I wish to carry in mind as I work as for me it highlights the importance of not relying solely on
the elements of the work. I believe Sol Le Witt was successful in his delivery of this work as to
me it certainly enriches the surrounding community.
Luce Center Quote
"Color, surface, texture, and shape
only emphasize the physical
aspects of the work. Anything that
calls attention to and interests the
viewer in the physicality is a
deterrent to our understanding of
the idea." Sol LeWitt, Christian
Science Monitor, August
1978(Museum n.d.)
Week 5 Web Based Research Zaha Hadid Library and Learning Center, 2010
(Dispenza 2010)
Zaha Hadid starts her designs with very complexed 2D sketches of her intended maquette. At first I thought this was a little to
complexed as a basic idea, but I soon realized that what she was designing was very a futuristic, dynamic piece of work that didnt
really allow room for basic sketches of her ideas. Each sketch examines a different level, from a different angel. This is something
Id like to take with me in my own work practice. To learn to develop an idea from different angels and transpose this on paper.
It looks like something
futuristic and very dynamic.
Giving way to a new
generation it makes a
statement regarding the
contemporary function of a
scholarly library (Dispenza
2010).
(Dispenza 2010)
Zaha Hadid also sketched bird eye views of her ideas so that the work could be seen from a different angle to see how it would
appear once it was realized. I think this requires great talent, to be able to visualise your work this way. But also an important
aspect of getting the design right. I think the elements of this sketch, has a positive contribution to the work as it allows the
viewer to see Zaha Hadid intent in a way I think they are visually able to understand.
(Dispenza 2010)
With each step of Zaha Hadid design I noted that she adds another dimension bringing each step of the work to life in a way
that the viewer is able to conceptualize it always showing the work from different angles and perspectives. These different
angles are essential in understanding how the work is intended to look. They allow the buyer the opportunity to visualize
what they will be paying for so that they can make a more informed decision when purchasing the art. This is also important
to the artist as it can make a difference in terms of how well the work is understood, which could lead to the work being
commissioned or not.
(Dispenza 2010)
It looks like something futuristic and very dynamic. Giving way
to a new generation it makes a statement regarding the
contemporary function of a scholarly library (Dispenza 2010).
Her work shows me the importance of looking to the future
and thinking ahead. Looking at where the world is at present
and where its heading and how we can incorporate this into
our works.

Her work caters for the needs of the 24,000 students and 1800
stuff members (Dispenza 2010) by including a language
laboratory, data center, book shop, training rooms, club room,
auditorium, and cafeteria (Dispenza 2010), which is clearly
communicates in her maquette.
(Dispenza 2010)
Zaha Hadid
Library and Learning Center
Vienna University of
Economics and Business.
28,000-square-metre building
(Dispenza 2010).

Zaha Hadid's design is the
library and learning centre to
24,000 students and 1800
stuff members. It is a large
black building which projects
beyond its supports, and
hangs over the public square
(Dispenza 2010).
(Dispenza 2010)
(Dispenza 2010)
Zaha Hadid work is highly successful in her design approach
right through to her delivery of construction due to her
thorough investigation of the work and understanding of the
relevant needs of those who commissioning her.
(DutchDeltaDesign 2012)
Lelystad - homage to El
Lissitzky wood, acrylic, paint
and pastel - scale 1:200 land
art scale model.
(DutchDeltaDesign 2012)
Week 5 Web Based Research Lucien den Arend CITIES Sculpture and Land Art, 2012
Lucien den Arend maquette of the CITIES sculptures and land art 2012, struck me as very simple and plan, making the ideas very
clear to visualise. I noticed he considered what size would be best to display his idea before he began to work. This is important as
if the work is to small the idea may be lost. The other thing I noted was that he was mindful of the size to ensure it was suitable for
transportation. This is also important as if the work is to hard to transport then he would need to rely on the buyer being happy
to come to him. One of the reasons Lucien's maquette is so successful is that he personally asses the intended location, to see if
there is any interesting facts that he should consider such as him noting that the land art displayed man made gestures (Dutch
DeltaDesign 2012). This way he can build these things into his design and be more considerate in his choice of materials.
These little things help to
communicate his ideas
successfully. It is these
considerations that Lucien
den Arend displays in his
work ethics that will inform
my own work when I start to
consider the size of the scale
and transportation, but also
ensuring I pay a visit to the
intended location and look
for anything elements that
may play a role in my design.
Week 5 Web Based Research Lucien den Arend CITIES Sculpture and Land Art, 2012
1985|1986 land art
project with red steel
element -
100x200x7.50m -
test circuit and test
center of the
national Road and
Transport
Department of The
Netherlands
(DutchDeltaDesign, CITIES sculptures and land art 2012)
If I hadnt read about this work, I would not have realised it was a piece of art. That some one had taken the time
to design this. I think this is because its not your typical art piece when you view it. However it was interesting to
see just how much thought and time had been taken in regard to the designing and constructing of this work. For
me this highlights how often the meaning of the work can be lost due to lack of knowledge of a subject. Lucien
extensive research into the history of the area I believe helped to make his work more successful as he used this
information to inform his work which we can see from the way his work is reminiscent of the dikes around the
Flevopolder. (DutchDeltaDesign, CITIES sculptures and land art n.d.) This also made the work relevant to the
intended location through its historical ties., but also as the elements such as the shape and materials used gave
a positive contribution to the work. I hope in my work I can learn from Lucien to really pay attention to history of
the surroundings and find a way to install my findings into my own works
Week 5 Web Based Research Anish Kapoor ArcelorMittal Orbit
ArcelorMittal Orbit, 114.5 Metre (376 Feet), approximately 2000
tons of steel, 60% was recycled steel
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford London

Anish Kapoors sculpture ArcelorMittal Orbits top viewing deck
reminds me of a airport tower, which has had a amusement park
ride wound around it. It totally fascinated me visually when I first
seen it. But once I did some research on it, I found myself wishing
I had his creative mind. The work acts as a viewing platform at
two different levels so those visiting the London Olympic Park
could view the entire park. His intent was based on a metaphor
for orbit, which lead to unstable structure. (Wikipedia,
ArcelorMittal Orbit n.d.) When you look at Anish Kapoors
sculpture it is easy to see his intent for it to act as a viewing
tower. His choice of materials are appropriate as he needed to
ensure it would be strong enough to hold many people, and with
steel being one of the strongest materials available he basically
guarantees its strength. His choice of location was also perfectly
placed as it allow his audience to see the entire Olympic Park. I
believe his choice of materials contribute to the successfulness
of the work. The work is very relevant to the community and its
immediate surroundings. There is no question In my mind that
Anish Kapoors sculpture was successful in delivering his intent.
His need to create the impossible and commitment to see it
though encourages me in my own work to see the impossible as
possible. To never consider anything to hard, but rather to
embrace it and work through it.
Week 5 Exercise 3: The History Behind The Maquette: Construction
After great consideration I have decided to do my Maquette in Lonsdale Street Dandenong at the start and end of the main drag
where The Gateway is located as my piece of work is inspired by The Gateway and also The Dandenong Pig, both of which
have a history with
Dandenong and
Lonsdale street.
When I looked up
the history of
Dandenong I
discovered that the
Dandenong Stock
market was a big
part of the growth
and development of
Dandenong. It was
a outlet for
livestock, which
including beef and
dairy cattle, poultry
and horses, for
fresh market garden
and dairy products,
and for a wide
variety of
household, craft
and industrial goods
and
services(Dandenon
g's n.d.).
Dandenong Stock Market (Corporation 2013)
The Dandenong
Pig was original
part of the sign for
the Dandenong
Ham and Bacon
Factory or known
as the Gippsland
Co-operative
Bacon Curing
Company, which
was located on
Lonsdale Street.
The company had
a lot to do with
the Dandenong
Stock Market.
Dandenong Ham and Bacon Factory (GARDINER 2011)
When this closed, several years later The Dandenong Pig was relocated to the new Dandenong Market. The other
thing I discovered was how Dandenong was known as "the Gateway to Gippsland" (Dandenong's n.d.). With this
history in mind I have chosen both these works to inspire my idea as they are very much connected.
Above "Lonsdale Street from Dandenong Town Hall tower in 1938." (Victoria 1938)
The Gateway (LTD n.d.)
When I was thinking through my ideas, I was thinking about how Dandenong was considered The Gateway to Gippsland" and how
it was connected with Dandenong. Then I started thinking about the public art work in Dandenong called The Gateway and how
this took on the idea of "the Gateway to Gippsland" . This led to me thinking about gates and asking why there isn't any. I then
asked myself if there were gates what would they or should they be? This lead to the Dandenong Pig and the Dandenong Stock
Market, which lead to horses and cows.
Lonsdale Street
(Bennett 2012)
I started to toy with the idea of a horse and a cow as a gate way at either end of Lonsdale Street which would effectively be the start
and end of the public art work The Gateway. The question was how would I get these gates to appear like a set even though Id have
them placed on each corner so they are not closed, but rather a separate sculpture either side of the road, implying gate ways., but
they as a set.
The Gateway (Light 2011)
The other question I started to ask myself was about the materials Id use to construct this piece of art. When I thought about the
Gateway and its connection to the Dandenong Stock market and how this kind of connects to the Dandenong Pig, I realised that
both used neon lights and metal. The metal also made a lot of sense to me as Dandenong is an industrial area. This had me
thinking that it would be a good idea to use metal and neon lights so that the gates would take on some of the elements already
used in these already established works.
Concept
drawing of the
Municipal
Building from
Lonsdale Street
elevated
perspective
(Dandenong,
MUNICIPAL
BUILDING
PROJECT n.d.)
Still thinking about Dandenong and its history and what's happening in Dandenong at present. I realised that Dandenong is in the
mist of getting a complete update. This posed a very interesting question for me. Do I make my Maquette to coincide with the
history of Dandenong? Or do I try to bring it into the future of what Dandenong will look like once all the ongoing works are
completed?
Concept drawing
of the Municipal
Building from
street corner
perspective
(Dandenong,
MUNICIPAL
BUILDING
PROJECT n.d.)
I then asked myself why couldnt I adopt the history of Dandenong, at the same time as taking on a little from both of the
previous public arts and bring it up to date with the ongoing works once they are completed.
Week 5 Exercise 3: The Design Idea 1 Maquette: Construction
This is my first idea. This would be a gate either side of the road. My first problem was how would I get them both to look like a
set. I realised if I had the cows head sticking out of the right gate and cut away from the left side, they would be able to go
together as a set.
I carefully aliened the gate so that the horses hooves would almost connect
with the mouth of the cow as to act as a lock for the opening of the gate.
This is partly why the horse is standing, but I also felt with the horse standing, it could be read as the horse was greeting the
people into the Gateway. The cow on the other hand shows a historical point of Dandenong, dating back to the Dandenong Stock
Market and the milking of the cows. His nose has been aliened with the hooves of the horse to act as the other side of the lock.
Still considering the same idea, my second thought was to do just the heads. Again aligning both animals for the opening of the
gate, but also they appeared friendly and welcoming.
These gates would be situated either side of the road on a slight angle pointing into the road. To
give the affect they had been opened.
They would be made with steel and perspex with the horse and cow painted on with neon lights around the contours
of the animals as well as the frame of the gates.
I liked the idea
of the heads
and the way
the noses
joined at the
opening of the
gates. But I
wanted to
make it more
contemporary
to coincide
with the
ongoing works
and the
expected
outcome of
Dandenong
once complete.

By doing this though, I
wouldnt be using
neon lights as I feel it
would take away from
the work. But rather
would have a spot
light situated at the
base of them for night
time viewing. In all
three designs, each
would need a front
and a back so it can
be seen from either
direction of travel up
and down the road.
The gates would also
have to be on a
parallel diagonal on
either side of the
street so that
depending on what
direction you were
driving the gate would
be open to let you
through.
Due to this, I decided to make them abstract, using the intended colours of the building once their complete so that the work will take
on a piece of each building.
Height = 210 (Actual Height) Divided 30 = 7cm
(Height of drawing)
Length = 150 (Actual Length) Divided 30 = 5cm
(Length of drawing)
Width = 30 (Actual Width) Divided by 30 = 1cm
(Width of drawing)

All three ideas would be
210cm in height
(just over 2 meters)
and 150cm length
(meter and a half )
and 30cm wide.
As the scale is so small
when scaled down I have
doubled the scale of
7x5x1cm to 14 x 10x2cm
for the purpose of making
the maquette.
Week 5 Exercise 3: Scaling The Design Idea 2 Maquette: Construction
Here I have taken my original sketch and using Coral PaintShop Pro X5
have tried to show how my idea behind the neon lights might look.
The neon light are important as they tie this maquette to the The Gateway and also The Dandenong Pig, both of which are a
previous public art works located in Dandenong which are an essential part of Dandenong's history. Together they both inspired my
work on the gates. I wanted to adopt their idea of using neon lights to welcome the people of Dandenong, and to show them their
way. I felt that these neon gates could act as a doorway in and out of The Gateway, but it was important to me that they carried
the same meaning. I have chosen to use four different neon colours. They are orange, reddish-brown, light blue and dark blue. I
have chosen these colours because orange, is very high in visibility so is a great way to catch the people of Dandenongs attention.
It's also associated with health foods and also harvest. Reddish-brown, Helps to bring images to the foreground and is associated
with harvest and given this cow is to represent the meat industry in Dandenong Markets I felt it was very fitting. Generally blue gives
a calming affect whilst light blue can be a healing colour and dark blue shows power and integrity which I think is important in any
art work.
Sketched
Design
Represents Neon
Colouring
When I come to considering the size of
the gates, my first question was what
are gates generally used for? A
moveable barrier come to mind as well
as a swinging frame that acts as a
passageway or a means of keeping
people in or out of an area. So these
gates needed to be of a large scale if
they were to be true to their original
intended meaning. But at the same time
I didnt want the gates to be so large
that they made the people of
Dandenong feel trapped or like they had
been placed behind bars.
Scaled Drawing
in real life is
7x5x1cm
So this meant taking into
consideration the meaning of
the gate, but also the average
height of mankind.
I then asked myself as I am only 5 foot 2 inches how tall would it be
against me and at what height does it make me feel locked in? At the
same time give me the impression that the gate was their to act as and
entrance and exit. In response I felt that a little over two meters high
and one meter wide would be a nice size.
Scaled Drawing
in real life is
7x5x1cm
Sketched Design Represents Neon Colouring
Now that I knew what size I wanted my gates to be I need to scale them down so that I could make my maquette the correct size.
Knowing this was not exceed 30cmx 30cm x30cm and also taking into account the size of my paper, I felt it be best to work 30cm blocks.
At first this posed quiet a challenge for me, as my original sketches didnt really take this into account. So the shapes and sizes of my
works all had odd numbers that didnt really work in with 30cm. This meant I had to work out away from each of them to work in with
these figures so very small alterations were made along the way when scaling each individual maquette. But this also posed another
problem as my gates also needed to match up. I couldnt just stretch them to size or the proportions would have been wrong. So when
making these alterations I had to be mindful of this also.
This led to yet another issue. When I finally scaled my work down the size
become 7x5x1cm, which meant my maquette would be tiny, making it near
impossible to do the work. So I needed to increase the size of the maquette, but
still work within this scale. The new scale for the maquette will now be
14x10x2cm.
Sketched
Design
Represents Neon Colouring
At first I found this very frustrating as Id never done scaling
before and wasnt to sure how to get around the problem.
But then it dawned on me that I could leave the scale the
same as I wanted it to be, but just double it for the purpose
of making the maquette, as long as I documented it so it
made total sense to anyone considering the work.
So this little 7x5x1cm looks a little
bigger in real life than it does here
on this page , but not to much
bigger, so you can see clearly why
this just would not have been
workable.
Now that the scale was sorted, I had to consider how I would be able to get each of the measurements that were required, for
each side of my three different takes on The Gates. This meant I had to break the design up into two parts. The animal and the
gates. Once I did this I was able to measure the gapes in the gate bars as indicate on the scale below.
Scaled Drawing in real life is 7x5x1cm
This worked well for the gate side of it, but when I got to the animals I realised that
getting measurements that were accurate would be physically impossible.
Scaled Drawing
in real life is
7x5x1cm
Sketched Design Represents Neon Colouring
As a result I found myself sitting and pondering ideas by staring at all my different
sketches like the ones above. I looked at their contours as well as their proximity
to the bars, but still no answers. I found myself questioning could I maybe
measure each point of the animal against the location of the bars and if so how
would I transfer that to the material. But the more I thought about the concept
the more I felt it was a crazy concept.
Desperate to resolve my issue of the animals and how to measure them I decided
to trace around one of my figures to get a feel for the shapes, hoping this would
give me a clue and it was when I started to do this that it hit me that my scale
drawing was the actual size of the maquette so I could simply trace them onto my
material without measurements, however, I realized that I would have to be extra
careful when I come to attaching the animal's to the gating.
I wasnt to happy about the idea of just guessing the location of the animals. I
felt I needed a better more solid foundation to work from. So working through
this idea I kept coming back to two facts. First that the scale was exact size to the
maquette and second that it was possible to trace. So this tracing idea started to
become very focused in my mind.
Scaled Drawing
in real life is
7x5x1cm
So in resolving my problem of placement I come
to the understanding that I could trace the scale
on see through paper and then when I come to
joining the two, I could lay the paper over top of
the gate and animals, and move the animal
around until it matched the traced paper, which
had now become a template.
Having worked through all my
ideas very carefully I found myself
faced with a very real realisation
that if I buggered up my
measurements on the gate
frames, then there is a very big
chance my gates will not align.
Scaled Drawing
in real life is
7x5x1cm

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Week 4: Project Two: Art + Public Space

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