When it comes to his philosophy on art, Greg Stonehouse finds much is to be gained from the collaboration process. Best known as a public artist, Stonehouse initially completed a Bachelor of Arts (1977) and a Diploma of Education (1978) at the University of Sydney before undertaking studies in ceramics at the National Art School, Sydney (1883-84) and a Masters in sculpture at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales, Sydney (1992-3). Stonehouse has worked on both gallery and urban scales, as well as across business and art industries.
Born in Manly, Sydney NSW, Stonehouse worked as a high school English and history teacher before becoming active as an artist in 1984. In an interview with the authors, he noted a “symbiotic relationship between the gallery and public projects”, seeing the two realms as having unique but mutually beneficial facets. He has found commercial gallery work allows more individual freedom than public art, but the latter has the distinct advantage of being both “dynamic” and an “incredible experience”, fueled as it is by many collaborating experts (interview with author: 2009).
Most significant among the collaborations is his two-decade long joint venture with fellow artist Susan Milne. The two began exchanging ideas in university when they shared a studio, soon finding it to be “such a small step to take to work together” (interview with author: 2009). No matter who happens to take the lead on a project, Milne and Stonehouse acknowledge equal co-authorship of their projects as they are more concerned with creating successful results than seeking individual recognition. Focusing on public art since 1994, Stonehouse has acquired skills in designing and building models, working with multi-disciplinary teams including architects, planners, craftsmen and local communities, and managing complex budgets — all important qualities when working to make art for the public domain.
A fusion of their public and gallery practices can be seen in a 2009 exhibition at the Manly Art Gallery entitled, “Susan Milne and Greg Stonehouse: An Exhibition of Public Art Process and Installation” (Manly Art Gallery and Museum, 2009), where Manly Gallery promoted their work in a media release as “Celebrated artists bring public art into the gallery!” (Manly Art Gallery and Museum, 2009). Their installation, about a former Australian Defense Industries site with which they were familiar through an actual public art project, was referenced via suspended steel shirts (evocative of the former personnel) and articulated postcards. The project enabled the artists to manipulate the internal spaces of the gallery in ways that are not normally possible in a public space. Additionally, they chose to have the various elements produced by fabricators to their own designs, an approach to gallery-based exhibitions that runs counter to the conventions of an exhibition space. Stonehouse considers that the exhibit at the Manly Gallery was a somewhat unusual project reaching across private and public art practice.
Not one to shy away from controversy, Stonehouse cites Bower (2008), a public art sculpture in Redfern consisting of metal spikes projecting from the ground, as a personal favourite. Meant to “represent a bowerbird’s courtship ritual” (Murray, 2009) he describes the aim of the artwork as, “forcing the audience to go through it or go past it, that was the theatre of the work. Watching someone vibrate through it” (interview with author: 2009). Situated at the busy corner of Regent and Redfern Streets, Stonehouse had anticipated controversy to the work’s “resistance, obstruction, [and] disruption of flow” (interview with author: 2009). Accordingly, site-specific engagement and community involvement with the Lord Mayor and local residents became imperative for the artists (Clover Moore, 2007). Nevertheless, the piece has been highly criticized by the media, which saw a “distressing reminder” (Murray, 2009) of the death of Aboriginal teenager T.J. (Thomas) Hickey on a nearby steel fence. The ensuing controversy led Stonehouse to observe that “public space is always contested”, with Milne agreeing that, “artwork is supposed to be a talking point” (interview with author: 2009). Both artists see the burden of place-making as establishing a reasonable balance, taking the community into consideration while maintaining their own artistic expertise, in order to create a successful public art space.
Apart from the kind of community consultation required by councils, Stonehouse and Milne have chosen to establish a shared studio and teaching space at Eramboo in Terrey Hills adjacent to Ku-ring-gai National Park northern Sydney. On a 3.5 acre site, the Eramboo Artist Environment is an almost an entirely volunteer based organization providing support for artists, because, as Stonehouse suggests, “a lot of artists don’t learn how to survive in the real world” (Interview with author: 2009).
Bringing together diverse disciplinary and cultural perspectives in order to create a unique space is an approach that underpins most of Milne’s and Stonehouse’s works. The steel and aluminum wing-like additions to Parramatta’s Elizabeth Street Footbridge (2001-2003), a piece which established their public art profile, lies in stark contrast to the upside down umbrella-like installation, Float (2007-2008) located at the Stanhope Parkway roundabout in The Ponds, a new suburb adjacent to Kellyville Ridge in Sydney’s North-west. In Sentry Box (2009) located at the Parramatta River foreshore, the striking 8 metre tall red and white structure also allows members of the public to step inside to read texts, in English and local Aboriginal languages, of past cross cultural encounters. The vital role location plays in their work has proven to be so inspirational to the final outcome, that Stonehouse feels other artists have labeled the team as possessing something of a “fetish about site” (Interview with author: 2009).
While he is aware of the dangers of public art turning into everyday objects employing “lack of consciousness, or settled into cultural psyches” (interview with author: 2009), Stonehouse also sees the potential for public art to arouse a sense of discovery. To this end the artists use interactive and technological media, such as lighting to alter night time perceptions of an otherwise familiar work, and the intermittent release of mist to encourage closer observation. They also bring quite personal ideas into their work, such as layers of Aboriginal inclusion, which might not be apparent upon first glance. Stonehouse finds an exciting driving force in letting go of boundaries and working with varied place-making experts, and looks forward to being involved in future public art projects of even larger magnitude. In regards to the multidisciplinary approach encompassing the public art community, Stonehouse wryly subscribes to a definition of the artist as “communicator, peacemaker, facilitator and sometimes an artist too” (interview with author: 2009).
- Writers:
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Tamar Pister
- Date written:
- 2011
- Last updated:
- 2011
