Artist Tracey Hall and her ocean-inspired works: better than being in a gallery. Photos: ACT Government.
Passengers waiting for the bus at the temporary Woden Bus Interchange will have more to look at than their phones after local artists used the white shipping container shelters as a canvas for their works.
The nine Canberra artists selected to take part in the project – Mimi Fairall, Dan Magginity (Byrd), Carlos Sanchez, Lawrence Tan, Paul Summerfield, Sarah Murray, Yamile Tafur Rios, Tracey Hall and Yanni Pounartzis – have brought a splash of colour to the otherwise dull facility, as well as giving commuters something to think about while they are there.
Transport Minister Chris Steel said the project responded to community feedback calling for the creation of vibrant and lively public spaces in our city – even if they were temporary.
“The idea of including artwork on the temporary shelters has been raised by community members during the Suburban Land Agency’s public consultation on Phillip Block 1, Section 7 and Community Reference Group meetings for the CIT Woden Campus Project,” Minister Steel said.
“This project is supporting local artists to make local art for local people to enjoy. I look forward to seeing commuters, pedestrians and bus drivers enjoy this artwork while the temporary bus interchange is in place.”
Carlos Sanchez and Yamile Tafur Rios with their vivid, eye-catching works.
Woden community members also had input and were able to inspire the artists in their works.
Tracey Hall took up the themes of the environment and the ocean with her striking images of a turtle, adorned with verse from US poet Amanda Gordon, and a whale.
Ms Hall said she hoped people got pure enjoyment out of the experience, as well as being inspired by Gordon’s words and the environmental message about how important the oceans are to life on earth.
She said the public outdoor venue was better than being in a gallery with all the people coming to Woden getting to see it.
“I’m so excited to see it up here, so proud that my children get to come and see some of my artwork,” she said.
Mimi Fairall’s work explores themes and ideas that matter to the bus drivers and Transport Officers working in Woden.
Housing and Suburban Development Minister Yvette Berry said the beautiful works would lift the look of the temporary bus shelter, adding colour and vibrancy .
“It gives people something to do while they are here, to look at these artworks and really think about the people who develop them for our city,” she said.
Ms Berry said it was a great project that gave the artists an opportunity to showcase their works to Canberra’s travelling public.
The Woden temporary bus interchange opened in January 2023 and will operate until the new public transport interchange opens in 2025.
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