We were instrumental in the planning, siting and implementation of a major public art commission in Wood Street as part of the major refurbishment of the Mackay CBD.
In recent years, Mackay has shown considerable ambition, vision, and investment in public art and this project saw Mackay Regional Council commission us and significant Torres Strait Islander artist Brian Robinson to develop engaging sculptures for the street.
We worked with Mackay Regional Council and Robinson to identify artwork sites along the street for four artwork locations, to optimise both public appreciation and amenity of the work. We worked directly with Robinson to develop his Urban Bloom and Deco Bloom concepts, which speak both to the Art Deco heritage of the built environment in the city and the fecundity and floral strength of plant growth in the tropics in Queensland’s far north.
The sculptures within this streetscape reflect Brian Robinson’s fascination with botanical gardens, herbaria, botany and horticulture. They note the relevance and importance of nature, heritage and play, to strengthen the identity of the Mackay inner-city precinct as a landmark civic space. The hybrid sculptural forms are derived from the unique local flora found in the Mackay Botanic Gardens, the city’s renowned Art Deco architecture, as well as sculptural elements from Torres Strait Islander material culture.