T-cycle

T-cycle is a research project investingating the collaboration between visual artists and micro businesses in local migrant communities. The project looks at the social function of the role of the artist in re-interpreting traditional crafts in a contemporary public realm context. The artist émigré Afghan artist Aslan Akraham transformed a cargo bike using the traditions of Afghan design. The transformed bike also functioned as a mobile Afghan tea service. The City of Greater Dandenong, partners of the project are trialling the bike as a form of micro business where local Afghan operators are able to hire the bike and operate it in Dandenong region as a small business. This project researched how creative and artistic interpretations can contribute as a strategy for local micro-businesses of migrant communities in the suburbs of Melbourne. This project was developed in partnership with the City of Greater Dandenong. This project demonstrates how new knowledge in how traditional crafts from migrant communities can be re-interpretated to create new opportunities for the wider community, including, self sufficiency in migrant communities, self employment and the public sharing of traditional art and design from other cultures in the Australian context.