PERCENT FOR ART SCHEME STATE THEATRE CENTRE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Government of Western Australia

PERCENTFOR ARTSCHEME

State Theatre Centre of Western

Australia2011

Enter the new State Theatre Centre of Western Australia (STCWA) from James Street and you will be fascinated by the unexpected sounds of laughter and conversation coming from the walls of the building. ‘Interval’ is a sound installation and series of stainless steel panels that have been created by Arif Satar and Audrey Fernandes-Satar, in collaboration with sound artist and specialist, Sam Landels.

As part of the construction of the STCWA, two buildings originally belonging to the old Perth Central School were demolished. Acknowledging the significance of this site as an educational facility, and earlier as a wetland, was an ideal opportunity to create an original and thought-provoking interpretative experience that would also connect with the purpose of the new building.

The title of the artwork ‘Interval’, defines the artists’ conceptual approach to the work. The word blends inter (between, among) and vallum (palisade, or wall), thus suggesting architecture that includes both the walls and the spaces between.

Physically, the artwork is integrated onto and into the building, but by projecting beyond the physical limits of old and new buildings into time and space,

the architecture was literally given a ‘voice’. A continuous and ever-changing play of sound and voices is implanted in the walls, recalling memories, conversations, tasks and chores. The poetic spoken text, which is a never ending, continually re-written play, is the result of research into the written and oral histories of the site. The written text, etched into stainless steel panels, grabs the viewer with tantalising bites of not quite stanza, drawing them closer to trigger the transformation to audience.

To create the sound, the artists used new audio technology that relies on vibration, not sound waves.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Artists: Arif Satar

Audrey Fernandes-Satar Title: Interval Architect: Kerry Hill Architects

Pty. Ltd. Art Coordinator: Maggie Baxter Sound Specialist: Sam Landels Photography: Arif Satar Client: Department of Culture

and The Arts Delivery Managers: Jeff Crow

Des Ferris

Department of Treasury & Finance Department of Culture and the Arts

GOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA