The Water, The River, The Town

Research Background International development firm Lend Lease, commissioned Dr Geoff Hogg and Dr Maggie McCormick to develop co curate two major wall paintings at a new apartment and commercial development at Victoria Harbour, Melbourne. The project was developed with the building architects and intended to find new ways of integrating art and architecture in the context of new urban space adding fine grain and street life at ground level of a multi-storey project. Research Significance This project was a direct commission where a major development company, Lend Lease, requested the curatorial expertise of Geoff Hogg and Maggie McCormick in preference to other fine art curation groups. The project was fully funded by Lend Lease and was selected as a componemnt of the State Government Percentage for Art program that is required by all new developments in Docklands. Research Contribution This project created new knowledge in the area of integrated urban art. A key component of the project was the introduction of new ways of working in Art in Public Space to draw together formal aspects of street art with innovation in image making, so creating a work that incorporated elements of spontaneity and considered image development beyond previous street art models. The approach also created new knowledge in the area of incorporated manifestations of street art into contemporary architecture in a considered manner rather than application to existing structures. This work innovated in relation to both methods of work and forms created.