Redfern hub with striking art program

With the New Year comes an eclectic assortment of art, music and performance at Carriageworks in Redfern.

The creative space has raised the curtain on its 2012 program which includes I Am Eora , a collaboration of Aboriginal artists and musicians, and Sound Kapital, a peek into Beijing’s underground music scene.

Artistic director at Carriageworks, Lisa Havilah said that in forming the program the notion of context was key. Carriageworks’ location within Redfern is important.

“[Redfern] has this strong urban, Aboriginal political history,” she said.

“I really wanted to, in an ongoing way, not only engage with the local Aboriginal community but for the program to engage with contemporary urban Aboriginal Australia.”

The program is not exclusively situated within Redfern.

Ms Havilah said: “The other part of context is that Carriageworks is located in this major international, very multicultural city.”

As an example she cited Sound Kapital, which, she said “is a starting point to develop a contemporary program that reflects the demographic of Sydney.”

The issue of architecture is also significant. Ms Havilah is aware that she is dealing with a large working space, which creates both opportunities and difficulties.

“The third thing is trying to develop or commission projects that respect and respond to the scale of the building.”

Brooke Andrew’s project Travelling Colonies – showing from now to the beginning of March – involves caravans parked throughout the building.

“Those caravans really respond to how big the spaces are,” Ms Havilah said.

The size of the complex brings its own complications. Ms Havilah said it supports artistic ambition but there is also the problem of getting overwhelmed.

“We either have to compete with it or let it win, in a way.”

The 2012 program is one step in the further development of the Carriageworks’ artistic personality.

“As an institution we’re only at the beginning stage. We don’t have a fully formed artistic identity yet,” Ms Havilah said.

Ultimately, she hopes that the program will reflect the audiences’ contemporary experiences, introduce them to differing perspectives and show a different side to Sydney, one that “isn’t a harbor experience; it’s a real urban experience”.

Photo: Li Yu