Wanted: Artist to build Gold Coast gateways

A huge public artwork creating a sense of arrival and welcoming visitors to the Gold Coast will be constructed in preparation for the city to host the Commonwealth Games in 2018 – and an artist is needed to create it.
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The large-scale work will be constructed at two locations; the northern entrance to the city on the M1 freeway from Brisbane and at the southern main entrance to the city at a site, most likely near the airport, but yet to be determined.

The project is an initiative of the City of Gold Coast and co-funded by the State Government in anticipation of the Games, but City of Gold Coast Executive Coordinator, Arts and Culture, Criena Gehrke, said it’s been on the agenda for some time.

‘Having a gateway to this city has long been on the radar,’ she told ArtsHub. ‘People have been craving it and saying for 20 years wouldn’t it be great to have that welcoming statement to the city through a large-scale public art piece.’

Submissions are now open until 23 December and Gehrke says the Council and Government really don’t know what to expect from concept entries, but she hopes it will reflect the city as much more than the tired old stereotypes of the Gold Coast as a playground for tanned beach babes and schoolies.

‘Historically we have been known for that sun, surf, sand and – let’s face it – sex, drugs and rock’n’roll at times,’ she said.

‘But we are in the middle of a perfect storm here on the Gold Coast. We have an incredible education sector, leading hospitals, tech start-ups and a strong design industry.’

The Gold Coast’s beaches are world-famous and will likely inspire artists competing for the Gateways commission. 

The region’s natural beauty is sure to be a huge source of inspiration for artists submitting their visions and Gehrke acknowledges that. But she said the City hopes artists will have more than a single muse.

‘The brief is very much around creating that welcome statement for the city, to respond to our incredible lifestyle and environment and the beach – we’ve got incredible hinterland and world heritage-listed rainforests but also to reflect the fact that we are a city coming of age in many ways,’ she said.

‘What we are anticipating and hoping for is that artists will really respond to the warmth and the welcome and lifestyle of this place but also provide that statement about how we are changing – we are a city in momentum.’

Gehrke said the panel would consider artists with all manner of expertise and specialities, but they must have previous experience working with large scale artworks. The artwork is expected to have a lifetime of at least 50 years, so as well as striking and creative it needs to be high-quality.

‘The contract is for the full kit and kaboodle – the fabrication and installation,’ she said. ‘We welcome proposals from artists and multi-disciplinary teams that are artist-led with the skills to manage the whole project.’

The Gold Coast is a vibrant ​region that will come alive in 2018 as it hosts the Commonwealth Games. 

Gehrke cites Melbourne’s approach from airport to city as an example of a similar concept of public art as gateway. Motorists pass under 39 large red poles and an enormous yellow tilted pillar, colloquially known as the ‘cheese stick’.

‘It is a really magnificent example of how it can be conceptual, it can be contemporary,’ she told ArtsHub.

‘It was a bit controversial when it was built – and that is also the role of public art in some ways. You’re always going to have different opinions and responses to those works.’

Supporting local artists

The commission is open to artists from across Australia and overseas, but to support local artists there will be an opportunity to gain experience on the project.

A mentorship program is already in train for other large-scale commissions including the Urban Oasis project in Surfers’ Paradise and will be a key part of the Gateways initiative too.

 

The City of Gold Coast is investing serious funding into arts and culture infrastructure including Arts Centre Gold Coast.

‘We’ve got a deep and genuine commitment to supporting local artist development, so regardless of who the commission goes to, what we always do is create mentorship or internship opportunities for local artists to be embedded in the project and work with those artists and teams,’ she said.

‘It is a way of upskilling our community of artists as well as delivering these large scale artworks.’

The Urban Oasis commission went to an Irish artist, Alex Pentek, who will build four 11m stainless steel shield ferns in Surfers Paradise. The City of Gold Coast allocated $5000 for local artist Chris Bennie to participate in a paid mentorship.

Consider a career on the Gold Coast

Gehrke says the Gold Coast is not just a top spot for a summer holiday – it’s a thriving metropolis where artists of all disciplines can find work and have successful careers.

‘There has been a huge shift over the past five years,’ she said.

 

Art and cultural events are now an integral part of Gold Coast tourism as well as its beaches and hinterland. 

‘There’s this great live music scene coming to the fore, there are cool cafes, there’s Bleach, a signature festival that Council has supported to become more sustainable and grow in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games.’

And there’s plenty of money being invested in the arts sector, with a large cultural precinct project underway at Evandale Parklands with plans for a new first-rate art gallery and construction of an amphitheatre near the current Arts Centre Gold Coast, which will also be given a revamp.

‘Tourism is always going to be fundamental to the city – there’s no denying that, it’s a really important part of our economy,’ Gehrke said.

‘But as the economy diversifies into those health, knowledge and education sectors and technology, then the community’s expectation is such that you have a cool arts and cultural experience that goes with that kind of city.’

Visitors ​to the Gold Coast from both north and south will be greeted by gateway public art pieces in time for the Games.

And one of the more exciting aspects of being an artist on the Gold Coast is that creative types can almost write their own history.

‘There are no preconceptions here on the Gold Coast,’ Gehrke said. ‘With contemporary art there isn’t this long tradition of what it should be so it is untethered and unbounded and it is really exciting.

‘I say to our local artists and nationally and internationally, if you want to create really out-of-the-box work, you should come to the Gold Coast.’

Submissions are now welcomed and will close 23 December. Entries will be assessed by an external panel, shortlisted, with up to five entries proceeding to a design and development stage. The chosen commission will be announced in July 2017 and completed within 12 months.

Visit the More Gold Coast site for more information.

Cathy Anderson
About the Author
Cathy Anderson is a Melbourne-based freelance journalist and the co-founder of digital content creation agency Ginger Brown.