Art Pharmacy was engaged by leading property group, Goodman to commission a large-scale abstract artwork inspired by the art narrative, ‘The Intersection’.
Art Pharmacy in collaboration with Goodman proposed a public artwork in line with the rich history and vibrant creative community of Alexandria, NSW.
Axis Alexandria is the first multi-level industrial facility of its kind in Australia. Located in the pivotal heart of South Sydney, adjacent to the WestConnex St Peters Interchange.
Goodman and Art Pharmacy selected internationally renowned artist Rowena Martinich to implement large-scale artworks inside two five-storey fire stairwells to encourage tenants, visitors, and the broader community to reflect on the power of colour, scale and movement.
Goodman believes that art can be a communication tool and link the site’s history with its future. ‘Trace’ is positioned at the Southern edge of the site, a highly visible location, sitting at the edge of a new city interchange and public domain network. The artworks are visible from public walkways, bike tracks and can be viewed while travelling along Euston and Campbell roads, as well as the exit point of the M8 tunnel.
The final artwork, ‘Trace’ depicts layers of luminous colour and liquid-painted gestures that soften the building structure, transforming each staircase into a place of imagination and play.
Martinich intends for Trace as a colour study in blues and their complementary colours, the palette was chosen in response to the soft champagne and brass hues of the building’s steel cladding and its chocolate brickwork. As a site-responsive work, the soft, curved lines and ‘random’ bursts of paint stand as beacons of colour in contrast to the angular architecture of the building.
The traditional owners of the land where Alexandria is now located are the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation (Sydney) who fished, hunted and gathered shellfish at Sheas Creek (now the Alexandra Canal).
The area’s recent history is as an industrial hub for Sydney, filled with factories and warehouses servicing all industries. Today these large industrial spaces are filled with breweries, creative workshops and fashion houses. Alexandria is home to a vibrant community of young professionals, creatives and young families. Newly completed WestConnex connects inner Sydney with the West, Southern and Northern suburbs.
With a primary orientation to the street, Art Pharmacy hopes this public artwork will serve as a source of inspiration for the inhabitants of Alexandria and the broader Sydney community.
Rowena Martinich is an internationally-renowned artist working in the commercial, private and public sectors. Her practice spans Public Art, painting installations, permanent and temporary interventions, murals within streetscapes, architectural applications and compositions on canvas.
Martinich’s work has attracted large commercial clients Nike, Facebook, Mecca Cosmetica, Mirvac, Dulux and Bombay Sapphire. Martinich has additionally been engaged by some of Australia’s leading architects and interior designers to create bespoke immersive art experiences in both domestic and commercial environments.
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Special thanks to Goodman, FJMT, Dukon and Watpac for making this project possible.
