in reference..

Couch on Westgarth Street, Fitzory.

Image from: http://mosaicartsource.wordpress.com/2006/12/15/fitzroy-mosaic-sofa-iii/

Artist's: Giuseppe Roneri & Scott Harrower. 
Both these artists have sculpted and designed mosaic couches for public art commissions in Melbourne and Brisbane. The artworks are influential to my concept as they create a interactive art work, that brings a object from the private life, into the public life.  They are different to a park bench, which is a con formative structure, by being unique, and having their own personality.

Darvid Harvey’s right to the city:
This writing is regarding the urban development of city planning and the rebuilding of the city due to economic and social growth. It discusses in terms of ecology and environmental sustainability, peoples well being, social contexts and the socio geography of places. He writes in regards to land ownership, renewal, and divisions of public and private spaces. 

Ford, S. 2005, The Situationist International, Black Dog Publishing, London.
A book describing the art of situationist’s and the idea and concept of this movement. Outlining the ideals behind Marxism and its reference to how it relates to situationism. Also describing psycho-geography and peoples rationales towards why they like spaces and why they want to interact and be in certain areas. It also details the art created and in response to this movement.

Gehl, J. 1978, Housing- Site Planning- Urban Design, RMIT Faculty of Architecture publication, Melbourne.
A planning guide, written by Jan Gehl, on his contexts and references for sustainable town planning and renewal, in regards to his planning of Melbourne. With guides on site planning, public space, social and physical environments. It details popular reasoning towards planning and the importance of creating new city spaces which incorporate the people living in the city. 

Van Noord, G. (ed.) Off Limits, 2002, 40 Artangel Projects, Merrell, London.
A publication from the UK’s art commissioning body Artangel that discusses their projects in terms of how they began, the audiences reactions and reviews and articles on each work. It also contains essays on site specificity, new technologies and a general social context of how this commissioning practices. This book in particular was referenced for its description on Rachel Whiteread's house project, that revolves around contexts of private life, within a home, exhibited in public.

 

'house' image from: http://www.artangel.org.uk/projects/1993/house/installation/the_installation_image_1

Just a place to call my home...

So, an idea for an artwork between either of the two places I like or don't like..
As I like the small details and personality of a space, Gore st is perfect for me, and all things I like. Which is why I like it at night, day, rain and sun, as it's not the atmosphere of the space, but the small objects, houses and colour that impact me. I choose to go there, I make it my path home. 
Differing to Lt. Lonsdale, that I avoid, due to it's monotone colour scheme, it's lack of light, being a empty space apart from parked cars and being cold. There is nothing in the space that has personality, nothing has its own unique beauty and the details are boring modern architecture. 

I propose to bring life to this space!

Taking from what I find is one of the most prominent street-scape images of inner suburban Melbourne - the couch on the porch. 

I think there is something prominent in wanting to sit outside your house, and watch the street, but not wanting to interact with further than the porch, behind a fence of your house. Just wanting to be outside, and enjoying the area, but not necessarily for being social, or to interact with other people. It links back to the fundamentals of psychogeography and theories on town planning, on the importance of people wanting to be in a space, and enjoying the space privately or in the public.

Taking inspiration from artist, Giuseppe Roneri, who sculptured and mosaic-ed the three couches on Brunswick Street Fitzory,

image from:http://melbourneartcritic.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/public-art-on-brunswick-st/

and the mosaic couch in Brisbane, on Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, by artist Scott Harrower.

Image from: http://brisdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/02/lounging-around-in-paddington.html

Concept: To use the idea of home comfort, and the fascination of sitting outside in your own privacy but in a public space. A series of house features that can be situated in different parts of Melbourne CBD where you would not expect to be 'at home'. The house features could be other sculptured arm chairs or couches, sculptured lamp shades, tiled rugs, community pot plant garden, bookshelves. Having these features in place in small streets and lanes such as Lt. Lonsdale would bring a comfort, and a subtleness of life in such empty places.

couch.

Now I know I'm in Melbourne....

Gore St.

I really love Gore Street in Fitzroy. I make a purpose of riding on this street every day I go to and from work. It is not the fastest route, in fact it's a detour, as I leave from Smith street in Collingwood and turn into Webb Street just across from Smith Street Cycles, then turning right at Union pub onto Gore street I slow down and enjoy the street. I have always been drawn to houses, especially ones that display the personality of the people within, or even the house has it's own details that creates it own persona. Gore street is filled with unique Melbourne terrace houses that scream their detail at me so I can enjoy the path I take home.

Good for riding on!

This house bellow is incredibly fascinating to me, it's huge! And in Fitzroy??!! I love that its big majestic shell sits on the corner, so different from the other terraces around it, but not making any more noise than any of the others.. It looks like it belongs in Queensland!

And this house bellow is the most beautiful aqua. Or.. some other shade of blue I cannot describe. I have never seen a house this colour. On the corner of their front porch they have a pile of fire wood, and it is the most vibrant burnt rust colour, siena even, that looks so beautiful againts the house. Such colour!

This is the pub. Of course!

aswell as the gorgeous houses, there are factories, a sure sign you're in the fitzroy area. I believe this factory is now a karate studio.. I snuck into the front of the door you can see on the left bellow.. a little strange inside.

Gore Street.

This is right on the corner of Greeves & Gore. What? It looks like a church in central Italy.  I love that it is completely different to anything else you'd expect to see, but it fits in, just like anything else. I love the windows, long arches, and four hedges at the front.

A sneak into someone's porch, nice tiles! and look, there's a art deco arm chair sitting by the door.

Another bizarre building for Gore st. This has such beautiful windows and stained glass. It looks stunning by night, it must be inhabited/ squated in as this warm red light was flickering from within.

Now this one is my dream. Look at the contrast of the brick against the sky! This reminds me of a old tram/train terminus, with its high roofs. Epitome of trendy living in Fitzroy, they are renovated and actually up for auction! I love the heavy front door, I haven't investigated yet but I am sure it's a sliding door too.

You can just see the church peaking down the road! 

I always wonder what it's like to sleep in that front room. Shady.

This row of terraces are gorgeous. They even seem to have this overpowering presence over the street.

I could take this photo a thousand times. I love all the old vintage bikes tied to the fences. This one is great as the bike matches the fence!

I'd love to sit on this porch.

Lt. Lonsdale.

Little Lonsdale between Russell and Swanston streets in Melbourne City. One space I don't like in Melbourne City. It's cold grey exteriors of this narrow lane, is emphasised by the modern, bleak, steel and glass structures of the QV. On the other side, the old beautiful facade of the State Library is hidden and lost behind bars, parking, and over shadowed by the oversized residential buildings opposite. It is a shame that half of the State Library is hidden and lost because is it next to a mecca of consumerism in the middle of the city. The grey-ness of the space makes you want to exit and run through space quickly and not want to interact at all. 

Lt. Lonsdale.

Now for the space I don't like in the city. Little Lonsdale between Russell and Swanston Streets. I realised a while ago I always avoid this section of Lt Lonsdale, mainly because I don't actually have to be in this space, but also because it looks so uninviting from either end. I was caught once, running out of the exit from the QV onto this street, when it was raining, and the space had never been so horrid. It is such a dark space, and I don't like that half the library is hidden. What could be such a nice lane with the historic building on the side is now one that is a reminder of unpersonalised, conformity and grey skies.

Welcome to bleak central.

no entry indeed!

Even the textures just seem so uninviting. Rough and raised. If I brushed against it, I'd surely hurt myself.

The authorities on parking. The city revolves around parking to me, where you can and where you can't the infinite search to leave your vehicle.

Look. It's long, and straight and the narrowness is exaggerated by the raised walls on both sides. This breeds the cold, I swear.

so many bars on the windows! The once lovely library almost becomes a fortress.

The new age.

I suppose this is meant to be stylish architecture, but it just reminds me of a spa, or a sauna. I'd even prefer that it was a sauna.

Not so inviting from this side..

The sun gets blocked out the rise of the buildings either side. Makes for a pretty dull ride.

Hmm. A bag over a parking meter?