Celebrated British artist Michael Landy has a new project – to expose the acts of kindness within Sydney.
The new site-specific artwork, entitled ‘Acts Of Kindness’ will showcase stories of everyday good deeds as part of Sydney’s annual festival, Art and About.
Whether it be shared umbrellas or returned lost wallets, Landy is keen to explore kind acts that often go unnoticed.
The concept was inspired from witnessing a passenger on the London tube surrender their seat for another person.
“A lot of people build this bubble around them. They don’t look up, they don’t make eye contact,” he said.
“But once you start to give up your seat [or] help somebody with a bag, you become more connected.
“I started to think about what makes us human beyond being consumers, and kindness and compassion are two of those elements.”
Director of Kaldor Public Art Projects, John Kaldor, has praised Landy’s artwork.
“Landy is internationally recognised as having created some of the most significant public art projects in the past decade,” he said.
“From the late 1990’s until now, Michael Landy has created a way of looking at consumption, value and labour in the consumer world that is highly idiosyncratic and playful.”
The internationally acclaimed artist is best known for his performance piece installation ‘Break Down’ in 2009, where he destroyed all his worldly possessions.
The next year Landy transformed a London gallery into an ‘Art Bin’.
Program Manager of Kaldor Public Art Projects, Sophie Forbat, is excited by what ‘Acts of Kindness’ will bring to Sydney.
“It’s certainly an exciting project and I’m sure it will engage Sydneysiders and create a vibrant atmosphere in the city, and maybe even some
more kindness.”
‘Acts of Kindness’ will be showcased from September 23 – October 23.
If you wish to submit an act of kindness, go to www.kaldorartprojects.org.au/acts of kindness or visit a City of Sydney Library to pick-up a
reply-paid form.
Stories will be accepted until August 20.
By Georgia Fullerton
