‘Cloud Seeds’
By Milne & Stonehouse
Susan Milne & Greg Stonehouse are a collaborative team who have worked together for over twenty years as well as pursuing their individual work. Many of the artist’s permanent artworks have reached diverse audiences and communities introducing art into everyday life throughout Australia, and together they have exhibited ephemeral artworks in St Petersburg Russia and New York USA.
“Besides the building’s proximity to the original creek which flowed into the Parramatta River, and the architectural merit of the design, the artwork location suspended in the soffit contextualised our ideas.”
THE ARTWORK
The building site in proximity to Clay Cliff Creek and formerly as part of the James Ruse’s wheat harvest at Experiment Farm on the city edge of Parramatta is part of the new population centre for Sydney. For the First nation culture, subsequent colony and contemporary Parramatta, the cultivation of local seeds to grow and sustain life and culture was an integral part of the Indigenous environment and a critical necessity for the colony to survive with its reliance upon the cereal grains for food. The artist’s ideas make references to the natural world of germination as well as the cultivated world where diverse neighbourhood cultures require cereals as their staple ingredient. Collecting magnified seeds as an accessible element for the artwork, ‘cloud seeds’ floats ephemerally linking the soffit ceiling with the floor below.
“As Parramatta develops
its role as the city
heartland of Sydney, the
significance of its prior
plant life, seed distribution
and creek environment
were a rich source
for our concept.”
Materials & References
With reference to the making of rain and tilling of the soil, this idea celebrates the diversity of fruits and seeds which have grown along the creek and the prior forests. These elements, which are a vital ingredient for plants and food, are immersed together as cloud pods suspended from the soffit.
Merged as cloud masses, the plant pods celebrate the cross-cultural stories of food which begin as molecules, are grown as plants, combined as ingredients and are used for recipes in Parramatta and Harris Park. The sculptural elements connect the elements of food, from sky to earth, from water to kernel. They salute the process of food design and preparation across cultures.
PUBLIC ART PLAN
The Public Art Plan for Charlie Parker focuses on creative responses that consider the design and context of the proposed development, while promoting contemporary and innovative ideas. The plan acknowledges Harris Park and Parramatta as a locale and asked artists to consider how connection, community, and the natural environment may take a central role in concept development. By incorporating these elements into the artwork, the public art project becomes a reflection of the community and place history, enhancing the site and contributing to its future identity in a thoughtful and meaningful way. The artwork will be a key destinational piece contributing to the overall place identity of Charlie Parker, including the amenity and character of the public domain.
Artist Shortlisting Via Public Expression of Interest (EOI)
To ensure a wide range of artists had the opportunity to be involved, the selection process was open to the public. The approach to selecting public artists and artworks for Charlie Parker provided an opportunity for multi-disciplinary artists to design a destination artwork to be installed in the public domain. The public expression of interest welcomed submissions from emerging and established artists with a connection to the region. Selected artists were asked to bring a unique perspective and skills to the project, creating an exceptional artwork that reflects the values and aspirations of the Harris Park community. Shortlisted artists were invited to develop a detailed proposal for public artwork/s and were paid a nominal fee.
CHARLIE PARKER, HARRIS PARK
A thriving, dynamic, multicultural hub, Harris Park is home to a diverse community of locals, including a large influence from Indian and Arabic cultures. The name ‘Parramatta’ literally means “head of the river” and this is exactly where a second penal colony was built in 1788, a mere 9 months after the first landing at Sydney Cove (now Circular Quay). Transport up the Parramatta River served to provide the now laid out town with an increasing influx of settlers and convicts. Pivotal elements in Parramatta’s history lay the foundations for a story to be told that is culturally diverse, historically significant and crucial to the way in which the city plays a role in today’s society.
“To us, it's not about
just building. It's about
setting the scene for
people's lives, and we
want those lives to
be exceptional”
Joseph Nahas, Coronation Property
CLIENT
Coronation Property
Location
Charlie Parker
12a Parkes St, Harris Park NSW
ARTISTS
Milne & Stonehouse
ARTWORK INSTALL
Q1 2024