TEMPORARY DEMOCRACIES is a unique art experience in the community of Airds, South Western Sydney that offers 12 Australian artists working across sculpture, video, performance, photography and multimedia installations, the opportunity to create new contemporary site-specific art works.

TEMPORARY DEMOCRACIES is informed by, and operates within, the frame of the Airds Bradbury Renewal Project that will see the comprehensive redevelopment of public housing in the area over the next 15 – 20 years.

TEMPORARY DEMOCRACIES asks each artist to re-consider the civic realm of their practices and develop projects that critically explore the current social contexts and consequences made manifest by this re-issuing of another architectural strategy to improve the area. Opening up new strategies of engagement to support and involve residents through participation, dialogue and interaction as it reflects upon the urban realities of these communities in transition. Placing a renewed focus on the relationship between the public, artist and curator in the local domain.

The first event in 2013 used a number of recently vacated and to be demolished houses as the sites for events and included: a Wallpaper installation by Tanya Schultz, a six day performance by Brian Fuata, the construction of a mobile cooking trailer with the Airds Men’s Shed by Robert Guth, The Academy Sport Club from Elizabeth Woods and an online site for a series of critical writings by Rebecca Conroy.

The focus for 2014 is in and around the suburban areas and public spaces with a series of community engaged works and nighttime video and light installations. Created by Lachlan Anthony, Darren Bell, Bindi Cole, David Cross, Benjamin Forster, Kate Mitchell and Bennett Miller as well the continuation of the online discursive platform by Rebecca Conroy.

By positioning each artist’s practice within the former tenants’ houses and the rapidly changing urban landscape, TEMPORARY DEMOCRACIES delivers first hand experiences of a contemporary art practice to a suburban setting, making it more readily available to a broader audience, whilst also providing a distinct and evocative situation for the artists’ processes of producing site-based art works.

TEMPORARY DEMOCRACIES is an initiative from the Campbelltown Arts Centre and continues the tradition established by the LiveArt projects Site Lab and Minto: Live which installed contemporary art events and performances in South West Sydney and entered into direct dialogue with the public about their urban reality.

Paul Gazzola
Live Art Curator
Campbelltown Art Centre
January 1st, 2014

PROJECTS ARTISTS: Lachlan Anthony  – VIC, Darren Bell – NSW, Bindi Cole – VIC, Rebecca Conroy – NSW, David Cross – VIC, Benjamin Forster – WA, Brian Fuata – NSW, Robert Guth – ACT, Bennet Miller – WA, Kate Mitchell – NSW, Tanya Schultz – WA, Elizabeth Woods – QLD