During a residency at the Fremantle Art Centre, I collected a handful of handwritten notes and reimagined them as a series of wearable and walkable signs. To find the notes, I spread the word through notices on bulletin boards, in the Fremantle Herald, on Radio 6PR, and by word of mouth. Slowly, the notes started to come in: 'I love the Goddess who made my lunch’, 'Remember, Keep Swimming’, and 'I’m Upstairs’—just to name a few. In a studio at the Art Centre, I hand-painted the notes onto recycled corflute, much larger than their original sizes. Then, with the help of colleagues, we took to the streets, wearing the notes…
NTRO Output Category
- Original Creative Work : Visual artwork
Place
Fremantle, Western AustraliaVenue
City of FremantleNTRO Publisher
Peter BurkeStart Date
2024-12-01End Date
2025-01-04Medium
Acrylic paint on corflute / performance & participatory workResearch Statement
Ordinary objects from everyday life are common sources of inspiration for artists. In their original contexts, found objects—a lost sock or a hair comb found on a footpath—seem mundane. However, when examined closely, they become compelling artefacts. Each object has its own history, unique form, and presentation. Their materiality—a hole in a woollen garment or a missing tooth on a comb—adds to their intrigue. These ordinary objects can hold fascinating stories and offer humorous or poetic insights into the human condition.
During a residency at the Fremantle Arts Centre, I collected hand-written notes from local footpaths, car parks, and other spaces. I also made a call-out for notes through notices on bulletin boards, in the Fremantle Herald, an interview on Radio 6PR, and by word of mouth. In the studio, I translated the notes into larger, wearable placards. The placards were worn by performers throughout the city. The creations acted as props or prompts, encouraging audience interaction as well as conversations about the notes—documented through photography.
The project invited public participation—through donating notes, observing the studio process, or witnessing the city performance. Displaying the notes on the street sparked varied responses: some laughed, some mistook them for protest signs, others posed for selfies, while a few ran away or even stole a note. These interactions highlight not only the messages but also audience reactions—revealing insights into human behaviour, how we navigate shared spaces, and how we choose to communicate.Size or Duration of Work
Live event, Fremantle, 4 January 2025
