Out and about and Art and About

Sydneysiders may find themselves accidentally watching films projected from the side of roaming rickshaws tomorrow with the launch of Art & About.

In its 10th year running, the festival will transform Sydney’s laneways and streetscapes with art installations, sculptures and pop-up performances.

“It allows people to see the city as much more than bricks and mortar and bus stops,” said Creative Director Gill Minervini.
“It turns our city from the expected into the unexpected . . . [and] puts some fun and colour back into public spaces.”

Ms Minervini said she wanted the festival to force art into the every day lives of city-goers.

“The audience doesn’t have to go into a gallery . . . go out of their way to see the artwork. Instead they’ll be stumbling across it, it’s right in front of their faces.”

As the creative director of Art & About since it started in 2001, Ms Minervini said the calibre of artists in this year’s line-up is something to get excited about.

“There’s over 200 artists working on the program this year . . . including some of the leading public artists from around the world and some of the best artists and curators in Australia,” she said.

“So it’s incredibly heartening to see how people, not only artists and the art community, but the general community has really embraced [Art & About].”

Big names include British artist Michael Landy whose artwork reflects Sydney’s random acts of kindness, Graffiti guru Barry McGee and American artist Janet Echelman who has created a giant steel net that will hang above Town Hall.

Art & About will also showcase a variety of emerging local talent.

Sydney-based duo Emma Pike and Sarah Langdon have combined their love for video installations and cycling to create The Amazing Rolling Picture Show; a portable projection screen that is wheeled around on rickshaws.

The two said they liked the idea of “making a video installation and being able to set up anywhere.”

Ms Pike said: “We can project our video arts anywhere in the city . . . that was the beauty of the rickshaw screen.

“Everyone seems a bit confused by [the rickshaws] when you first explain it to them . . . It’s quite a bizarre little set up.”

The rickshaws will be driven around various laneways in the CBD and set up in random spots for audiences to view video installations.

“I guess it’s more of a pop-up, active part of the laneways project,” Ms Langdon said. “In that sense it creates active rather than stagnant sculptures . . . It’s really playful in that way.”

Art & About will kick off tomorrow night with a free public launch at Martin Place. The launch will start at 5pm and include performances by the likes of Paul Mac.

For more information visit: www.artandabout.com.au