This installation fills a Perth CBD office floor with a soundscape and a Wheatbelt landscape under fluorescent light.
Grown for its grain, wheat leaves behind straw as a by-product, which throughout history has been used as a building material. But wheat itself has its own agricultural industry, and a new installation in Perth, running from 11 September, draws attention to its history in the region.
there is nothing you need to do in here. is a four-week installation at 1 Mill Street in the Perth CBD, filling a commercial floor with hundreds of thousands of stems of wheat. Visitors walk the field beneath stark fluorescent ceiling, with a soundscape running over the top that sets the two environments against each other. The invitation is to stop in for a while and experience this distinct juxtaposition between the corporate surrounds and the abundance of this natural crop.
The project is the first from Wongan Hills Arts Co (WHAC), a not-for-profit named for a Wheatbelt town north-east of Perth. Founder Alex Miller describes the show as fundamentally out of place, also pointing out that so is “spending a good part of your life surrounded by concrete and glass.” Director Matt Dicosta frames it as the opening move in a longer project to build a cultural destination in the Wheatbelt and to connect metropolitan audiences to the landscapes beyond the city. The pair highlight that the show is an exploration of place, labour, memory and regional identity.
The exhibition runs from Friday 11th September to Sunday 11th October.
Location: 1 Mill Street, Perth WA
Hours:
Mon – Fri: 11:00am – 2:00pm
Sat – Sun: 12pm – 5pm
Admission: Free, RSVP required
