Performance Space (Carriage works)
‘Carriagworks’ is a refurbishment of an old warhouse conversion creating theatrical exhibition spaces, introducing contemporary materials for interiors and embellishes the Newtown’s heritage streetscape fabric. The vast use of polished concrete floor stretches across the open space, maintaining the featurable aspect of the existing carriagework railtracks. Incorporation of lightwells dramatise the entrance space to the exhibition rooms.
Upon entry into the performance space fulfills a collective gathering of installations each presented with individual perfomance spaces for interaction. As the audience moves about the exhibition space, each individual is enlightened by the powerful moving images, playful interactive digital screens, offensive video footages and illusional graphics. The installations simultaneously interact with the audience by means of delighting one’s senses. For example, the movement of shadows projected on a large screen stimulates a whimsical nature to the audience. Thus, it creates a humorous audience participation to the feel of the exhibition room. This idea of playful interaction is continued throughout the space. One work is displayed on the floor by a screen showing a pond/lake filled by sea creatures from a fish eyed view. Depicting the nature of a real-life situation, whereby one tries to play with the fish or water, the screen picks up the sensual characterisic of ‘touch’, as the ‘fish swims away’. Interestingly, each creature functions differently by introducing qualities of movement or light.
Diversity of installations become part of a provocative space and maintains a high-level of activity. On the contrary, dramatic short films or footages of performance artworks are captured on screen by artists. Mundane footages are transformed to spark one’s interest, one example of a footage from the, ‘World Cup Brazil soccer match’ of Ronaldo booting a book that flaps up in the air, rather than an ordinary soccer ball.
The Performance space is driven by the exploration of the audience’s own interest, as the success lies amongst the individual’s sensual persective. Diversity of performances may or may not satisfy expectation of interest by the audience. However, the ideas and methology behind each performance is evocative to the senses, highly provocative and possibly controversial to one’s own opinion. High level of enthusiam impacts on further investigation and critical analysis of each performance. Thus, some footages may trigger anger to one or arouse curiosity.
Overall, an enjoyable excursion assisted by an enthusiastic peer group.
