UnderUndertaken with Keg De Souza, taken a
regular project partner for Zanny, 2016: Archive Project is socio-political artwork at its most
relevant.
Troubled by the gradual evaporation of
artists and artist spaces from Redfern and the “gentrification” of
the area pioneered by the Redfern Waterloo Authority. the Marrickville-based
Begg decided to document the transformation. “I have always lived in
Redfern. It’s my favourite suburb in Sydney,”
Zanny said. “When the colourful pamphlets started rolling into the
letterbox I began to wonder about the future of the place, and the lost
voices.”
Both Begg and De Souza have began building
an archive of Redfern’s gentrification that includes interviews with long term
residents and their offspring, impressionist sketches, cornmentarial cartoon
images. and photographs. “It’s a subjective archive through the artist’s
sense of place, not a bird’s-eye view or a city town planner’s view.”
The Redfern project has already been exhibited in Moon Gallery (January)
and ArtSpace (August) where Begg and De Souza created an exhibition that
destructs in the hands of its audience. Redfern urban landscapes made of little
archive books and a cut-up image of the Twin Towers were offered to exhibit
goers – a symbol of the transformation taking place in Redfern.
“In a way [the audience] gets to take
away little pieces of Redfern but at the same time they are contributing to its
destruction,” Zanny explained.
The project will continue up until the year
2016. “We hope to contribute to the documentation and understanding of the
process of change and allow voices of people who
are being affected by this change to be heard.”
Keep an eye out in 2008 for Zanny and Keg’s
There Goes the Neighbourhood project which will feature 2016: Archive Project
alongside international artists.
To find out more go to www.ifyouseesomethingsaysomething.net
Photo: Redfern landscape made Of archive
books Photo: Zanny Begg
Source: South Sydney
Herald November 2007 www.southsydneyherald.com.au