Victorians and visitors alike have been invited to take a new kind of creative journey with the unveiling of the first Melbourne Art Tram for 2015. Designed by Melbourne-based visual artist Amanda Morgan, the first Art Tram is one of eight that will hit the tracks in the month ahead as part of the annual Melbourne Art Trams initiative.
A partnership between Melbourne Festival, Creative Victoria and Yarra Trams, each year Melbourne Art Trams invites Victorian artists and designers to imagine a new creative work to adorn an iconic Melbourne tram. Part of Melbourne Festival’s visual arts program, the trams go on to be moving artworks that add a touch of creativity to everyday life and travel on 21 routes across the tram network.
This year marks the third Art Trams outing and this year’s artists were selected from more than 145 proposals from across Victoria. The creative focus for Melbourne Art Trams in 2015 was conceived in association with MPavilion, and this year’s artists were asked to create designs that responded to the theme Architectures and the city.
Amanda Morgan’s tram, Architectures of light – reflects her long fascination and exploration of light in her artworks. Her tram design is made up of photographs of public art projections Amanda has created to illuminate and transform historical sites and landmarks across the city including the public housing estates in Fitzroy.
Working primarily in digital media, Amanda has made street art, public art and installation pieces that have shown across the globe. Her projection work has been part of White Night Melbourne and Gertrude Street Projection Festival and her work has been collected by galleries at home and abroad.
The 2015 Art Trams artists include stencil artist Louise Forthun, typographer Stephen Banham, photographic artist James Voller, visual artist Kathy Temin, mixed media artist Martine Corompt and choreographer Philip Adams in collaboration with architect Matthew Bird. One tram is also allocated to an emerging artist with honours for 2015 going to RMIT Design student Tom Vincent, whose geometric design will give a contemporary edge to a historic W class tram running on the City Circle line.
Once all trams hit the tracks for the opening of Melbourne Festival on 8 October, the public will be invited to cast their vote for the 2015 People’s Choice with the winning artist taking out a $5,000 prize. The public will also have the chance to see all of the trams at once during a special Community Day on Sunday 29 November which will see all eight Melbourne Art Trams travelling for 24 hours on the City Circle line around Melbourne’s CBD.
The 2015 Melbourne Art Trams will remain on the tracks until April 2016.For more information, visit: www.melbournefestival.com.au/arttrams for details.
Image: Amanda Morgan’s Architectures of light Tram – photo by James Morgan