designers' task force
Architect/artist Jakub Szczesny and curator Kaja Pawelek have temporarily relocated from Warsaw to Narrogin to launch their designs for a 18 metre movement reactive viewing tower intended to be sited at Narrogin Railway Station. A model of the tower, animations and a prototype that demonstrates the tower's responsive polyester filament skin will be unveiled at a public event at 6.30pm on Friday 28th of October in Narrogin's Mackie Park. The Polish artists' residency in Narrogin is part of the spaced: art out of place program, presented by IASKA.
The proposed Banksia Tower - so named because of its resemblance to a giant banksia flower - features brush-like clumps of polyester "hair" that moves in response to passing cars and visitors. Szczesny explains that "the responsive skin idea comes from the fact that the once most vibrant part of town is now dead and dark. We decided to find an apparatus attracting people through creating an illusion of presence and life, virtually through revitalising the space."
Banksia Tower follows a number of site-specific projects across Europe and the Middle East undertaken by Pawelek and Szczesny that were developed with the aim of engaging local communities in revitalisation activities. The Narrogin project is being filmed for screening on Canal+ television channel by Polish artist and filmmaker Matylda Salajewska. Snippets from the documentary will be shown at the launch event.
For more informations please visit: www.iaska.com.au
authors: Jakub Szczęsny & Kaja Pawełek
renderings & animation: Tomasz Gancarczyk
electromechanic mockup: Marek Tkaczyk
prototype: Banksia Tower team
film snippets & graphics: Matylda Sałajewska
partners:
Adam Mickiewicz Institute, IASKA, CAN WA, Arts Narrogin, Lottery West, Loyalties for Regions
