there’s a world going on underground

I may be a little late to the game on this one (and late to the blog too – that’s another story), but for my first post here (thanks Arwen!) I thought I’d post some pictures I took at the recent opening of Arab Telephone by Tape Projects in Melbourne, the latest from Platform artists group .

Platform has been active in Melbourne for quite a long time now. It’s an odd exhibition space, consisting of window boxes lining the dank, underground thoroughfare that runs between Degraves Street and the north entrance to Flinders St Station. It is full of rapid foot traffic for several hours each day, and empty at all other times, save the odd busker (great acoustics with all those tiled walls). I’m often disappointed with the work I see down there, not least because of its less than ideal viewing environment.

Perhaps this surrounding is suitable for Arab Telephone though – “an experiment in time delay collaboration”. I did enjoy looking, but I honestly couldn’t understand the narrative that is meant to connect the work by the various artists involved. There are hanging phones, keyholes to peep though, a (beautiful) photo of a carpark, piles of videotape. Most of the work is sculptural or installation based, some is interactive, all is very well executed – certainly worth slowing down for if you are passing through on your way to work.

:: Reuben ::