Walking within a grassy woodland

A public art and design project in the heart of Melbourne

“Walking within a grassy woodland”, a 20 metre long hoarding has been installed along St Kilda Road, right next to the new Anzac Station. It was commissioned as part of a collaboration between the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and the Metro Tunnel Creative Program.

The project is a collage of photographs and lumen prints I have created, simulating a grassy woodland. It includes groups of different plant communities including native grasses, trees and Australian shrubs found prior to settlement and observed on my daily walks.

The inspiration for this artwork came after visiting the State Botanical Collection of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria where I read reports and letters by Ferdinand von Mueller, botanist and director of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (1857-1873). Mueller rode on horseback on three extended explorations of Victoria in the 1850s, collecting specimens and writing observations about the indigenous plants of Victoria.

Thanks to Metro Tunnel Art and Global Art Projects Melbourne for this wonderful opportunity and to Kit Edwards for documentation photography.