Sparks literally flew at Friday’s program launch for the first Art and Industry Festival in Melbourne’s west.
The brainchild of Newport’s Donna Jackson, who heads Hubcap Productions, the festival looks at the industrial and manufacturing aesthetic of Hobsons Bay.
“Industry is a fantastic lens with which to look at this area because it has complexity; there’s a whole architecture and design in this area,” she said.
“There’s tanks. We’ve got the West Gate Bridge. We’ve got a whole lot of manufacturing and mega-factories and plants around here, and I really like that aesthetic.
“I’m one of those people who goes out at night and photographs the Newport power station or the Mobil refinery or the tanks, and then I meet other people who are also out there taking photographs of those architecturally-designed industrial spaces. And I thought, maybe I’m not alone, maybe I’m not the only one who thinks they’re interesting. They’re what make us different from a lot of other places and makes this area unique.”
The festival, to be run at various locations, aims to inspire interaction between local artists and industry, culminating in multiple art presentations and activities from November 18-27. To view the program, visit artandindustryfestival.com.au
