Wander along Fitzroy Street and discover Luminous.
This public art exhibition explores the works of art by PluginHUMAN, Tom Gerrard, Elizabeth West, John Fish and Nick Kozakis, and Carl Allison. Located along Fitzroy St, the exhibition reflects on our connections with place, nature and diversity. Through light, projection, mural, installation and film, occupying external spaces and shop fronts, Luminous is a meditation on the complexities, and multi-dimensional nature of Fitzroy Street, St Kilda.
PluginHUMAN Immersive Art
CONCEAL is seven‐minute single channel video artwork that is projected onto a vacant shop window in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. This work has been created by the arttechnology duo, PluginHUMAN. They have prepared and digitally altered biological
samples they collected from significant City of Port Phillip ecosystems. The video imagery is formed from generative computer animation of the biological photos. Ultimately, CONCEAL is a dynamically coloured, yet subtle work, that reveals the hidden structure of our surrounding natural environment.
In making this artwork PluginHUMAN aims to foster empathy between people and our nature in order to encourage climate action. CONCEAL brings awareness to the urgency raised by scientific communities around the need for humans to change their relationship with our natural environment (IPPC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2018).
CONCEAL is a fusion of digital and organic materials and processes, it uses digital methods to highlight hidden organic structures. CONCEAL expands the micro to the human scale, affording audiences the unique opportunity to experience and engage with layers of physicality not often quantifiable in our daily lives. It allows audiences to experience the extraordinary qualities inherent in the City of Port Philip natural world.
About
PluginHUMAN, is a multi‐award‐winning arttechnology duo lead by City of Port Phillip artists Dr Betty Sargeant and Justin Dwyer. They are at the leading edge of their field. PluginHUMAN has an acute understanding of the role that technology plays in contemporary society, their progressive artwork places people in the centre of a human‐to‐digital encounter. PluginHUMAN have been commissioned to create installations for institutions such as the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art, the Asia Culture Centre (South Korea), C‐Lab (Taiwan) and White Night Melbourne (Melbourne Museum).
Nick Kozakis and Carl Allison
DUST is the creation of a short film to be projected on to a building. It will be a poem represented by subtitles over imagery. The poem focuses on ‘inspiration’ delving into how we are connected by our differences, our diversity. It’s a love letter to the quirky and unique nature of the area. We will do this by intercutting 5 scenes and characters. The scenes will deliberately juxtapose the character and the setting to create more striking imagery to reinforce our concept.
About
Nick Kozakis
As a Director Nick brings unwavering commitment, a keen eye and skills to any creative endeavour. After gaining a reputation for providing outstanding solutions in the industry, he moved into conceptualising and directing many creative campaigns for clients such as TAC, Sony Universal, Warner, Obese Records, Brimbank Council, Tourism Canada and many more. He has also established a niche music video production company as a creative platform to which he as worked with many Aria winning and nominated artists including Hilltop Hoods feat. Sia, for their four time platinum single “I love it.”. Nick had been awarded with Monster Pictures’ Most popular film award, Best Director and Best Foreign horror at Fright Night Festival, the Gold Award California, Best Director Arizona Film Festival, Best Experimental Short London Underground Film Festival, Official Selection in Sydney International Film Festival, Perth Revelation International Film Festival and many more.
Carl Allison
A Melbourne based cinematographer, Carl has worked extensively on commercial, music video and narrative projects. His
commercial work includes projects for Yarra Trams, New Balance, Sony Universal, Warner Australia along with music videos for aria artists, Hilltop Hoods, Sia, Alex Jones & Tones and I. He studied at the Victorian College of the Arts and Swinburne Tafe and graduated in 2009.
Elizabeth West
BEARINGS
Navigating the urban environment, we scan for signs and designs, to get our bearings. As a site‐responsive installation Bearings draws on visual cues, cultural connections and the spatial qualities of the location. Triangular panels referencing shapes of nautical sails adorn a building. Like the movement of sails across the bay, the shapes transform in passing.
Responding to Fitzroy Street as a major movement artery, Bearings is designed to be viewed in transit. Whether by foot, bicycle, tram or car the full visual impact of the design is experienced in motion. Recognising the location as a significant point of tourism, both local and international. St Kilda is a place where many people come to get their bearings on arrival to Melbourne. Drawing on another renowned cultural and historical element of the area, geometric designs of the panels and installation are contemporary interpretations of art deco motifs. The panels are constructed from nylon, salvaged from Discarded umbrellas collected during the winter, otherwise destined for landfill. The use of up‐cycling to create this installation also celebrates the commitment of the City of Port Phillip to cultivating sustainability through policy and community Engagement. Bearings creates a sense of location, within both the cultural and visual timelines of the area, while becoming a beacon and a point of reference for the local community and tourists over the summer months.
About
Elizabeth holds qualifications in Creative Art & Design (Environmental Art), Charles Sturt University, Transpersonal Art Therapy, College of Complimentary Medicine, Fine Art Newcastle Art School and drawing and moulding at the Tom Bas Sculpture School. She has produced numerous site‐specific installations and murals across Australia and is currently
Artist in resident at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery.
John Fish
CIRCLE is a coloured LED neon flex light installation celebrating the diversity of Fitzroy St. This universal symbol represents the notions of totality, wholeness, the self, the infinite, eternity and timelessness.
About
John Fish is a mutli‐disiplinary creative studio that focuses on telling stories through traditional and new mediums. Founded by Chris Conole, Kristian Laemmle‐Ruff and James Hebblethwaite, John Fish has a concept driven approach to create strong narratives for film, sound and experiential light installations. Our desire is to create beautifully crafted work that captures people’s imaginations. |
With a focus on the arts and music industry they have produced activations for clients like TEDx Melbourne, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, ABC, Mercedes and worked with a range of cultural festivals including Melbourne Music Week, Strawberry Fields, White Night, Melbourne International Jazz Festival and VIVID.
Tom Gerrard
FLORA is a mural featuring flora he has spotted while on his walks throughout St Kilda. Tom envisions creating a graphical painting that celebrates the diversity, complexity and beauty of Australian native flora.
About
Tom Gerrard is a globally recognised Australian artist with a career spanning over 25 years. His work evolved from street‐art instillations around Melbourne in the mid‐nineties to exhibiting in international locations such as the National Gallery of Australia, La Colombe d’Or (France), Flourensce Smogg (Barcelona) and RVCA Gallery (Tokyo). Tom is known for his ability to articulate local identity and capture narrative accounts of contemporary life through juxtaposing simplified character forms
with place‐based architecture and flora. He draws inspiration from his personal connection with Australian suburbia and the narrative accounts of its residents. His work is exemplified by simple shape and line work using a minimalistic colour palette.