2010
acrylic paint
approximately 500 m2
Ebb & flow is a painted mural on various concrete walls along the Brisbane bicentennial bicycle path at Milton. The cycle path runs along the banks of the Brisbane river from Newstead, through Brisbane City to Toowong. The work was commissioned by the Brisbane City Council and the Hale Street Link Alliance as part of the Go Between Bridge development.
The location of this work is primarily dedicated to moving traffic; pedestrian, bicycle, motor vehicle and water craft. The work is visible from the Go Between Bridge, the adjacent train bridge, the Southern bank of the Brisbane river, river ferries and those using the cycle path. For this reason it was important to devise a work that would be successful at close range and from great distances.
The 'structure' of the pattern is based on inverse perspective; from a single point in space a grid is projected onto a surface. Intersections of the projected grid that are closer to the focal point are close together. Adversely, intersections of the grid that are some distance from the focal point are further apart. The result is a reversing of the effects of perspective. A pattern, that if regular, would appear to get smaller at a distance appears to remain constant.
Throughout the site in which ebb & flow is located there are four focal points from which the structure of the work is defined. The appearance of the pattern is wholly dependant of the environment in which it is located. The ramp that leads down to the path offers the most dramatic realisation of this effect. On first impression the pattern painted on the wedges of the ramp appear to be quite arbitrary. However, when the viewer locates them-self at the focal point the grid pattern lines up perfectly.
For this project I was lucky enough to have the assistance of 6 artists. Their contribution to the success of this work can not be overstated.
Thank You
Jasmin Coleman
Patrick King
Shaun O'Connor
Laing Rahner
Arryn Snowball
Akiko Yamasaki
I would also like to thank Dominique Droniou, the alliance manager and chief engineer on the bridge. His incredible enthusiasm for my contribution to the project made this experience quite unique.
