Bringing Tales of Country to Adelaide CBD: Lisa Khan’s Transformative Artwork Commission
Art Pharmacy was engaged by Centuria and MA Financial to commission an artwork for the newly refurbished lobby at 25 Grenfell in Adelaide’s CBD. Consequently, this project involved creating an art strategy and programme for the lobby. Furthermore, Art Pharmacy considered the building’s key location fronting the East-West Boulevard, its blue chip tenants and newly finished contemporary space.
About 25 Grenfell
25 Grenfell is a vibrant modern property with market-leading end-of-trip facilities, a cafe, retail and full time concierge services. Art Pharmacy saw this commission as an opportunity to shape the tower’s new identity. Additionally, the project helped platform Adelaide’s growing artistic scene. Moreover, because the artwork sits behind the concierge desk, Art Pharmacy developed a lighting strategy that worked closely with the space’s interior design to highlight the commissioned work.
Selecting the Artist
Art Pharmacy curated a selection of local artists with diverse wall-based practices, from painting to ceramics and tapestry. Subsequently, Lisa Khan was selected as the commissioned artist. She is a First Nations artist from the Coober Pedy region. Furthermore, Khan’s works depict her grandmother’s Country at Mount Barry and her grandfather’s Country at Wallintina Station.
Khan connects deeply to Country and her grandparents through painting. Her work carries deeply personal stories of looking for opals, playing in the sand, learning to hunt lizards and bearded dragons, and searching for bush tucker. As a result, each painting carries layers of lived experience and cultural knowledge.
The Commission: Opal Dust, My Mother’s Country
For 25 Grenfell, Khan created Opal Dust, My Mother’s Country, a captivating 3.5 metre long acrylic on linen painting. The work is vibrant and mesmerising. Moreover, it serves as a central feature of the lobby and visitors can view it from multiple points both outside the building and upon entry. Therefore, it creates a striking and positive first impression for all who arrive.
The storytelling throughout Khan’s work now reaches a new audience working on unceded Kaurna land. Additionally, it extends the legacy of South Australia’s connection to Country. The commission reflects the depth of First Nations artistic heritage in South Australia. It also demonstrates the clients’ commitment to creating meaningful places and experiences for their tenants.
