Flourish. A project by Harbinger Consultants and Mandy Ridley in Brisbane, Australia

Abstract

The Public Art projects that Harbinger Consultants undertake always provide a curatorial framework and strategy that draws out and documents the multi-layered histories of the area/site and its communities of users (both historic and contemporary). These are central to the development of the brief for the artist/s and the ensuring collaborative process between public art curator and artist. It is essential to understand the factors that influence perceptions of place, paying particular attention to personal and community interpretations of culture and make these available to the artists so the artistic process and artworks relate in a holistic and creative way to the specific resources of the area including existing artworks in the vicinity. Public artworks are principal elements, statements and markers of place encountered by people in their everyday exAn example of a placemaking Public Art project developed, curated and managed by Harbinger Consultants is Flourish by artist Mandy Ridley at Ernest Street Tunnel, South Brisbane for Brisbane City Council, Queensland Rail and South Bank Corporation. The tunnel is formed by a railway line passing over a street and pedestrian pathway. perience of a locale.