'Silence, simplicity, humility... the only proper state for the artist as for the human being.' Patrick WHITE
Trying to finish some writing for this blog on Federation Square, although I've run out of words and direction. Found this perfect quote by Patrick White from his book The Vivisector. Sometimes it's easier just to leave an impactful quote- to summarise a thought more simply than perhaps an essay can.
Federation Square is a multi-layered but ultimately disjointed gesture of public architecture, and I think that's the main thing people conjure when arguing against its visual appearance and atmosphere. It's definitely challenging and subversive; an example of where post-modern architecture goes against the grain of perceived notions of beauty. Where a public square should be a utopian place that 'federates' people and allows them to gather in unity, interestingly, Fed Square has done the opposite and polarised opinion.
It's hard to pinpoint some of my arguments against the Square, because I admire how it resists public expectations and sort of subsequently questions the nationalism of public squares. Although I feel as though it's often misunderstood and under utilised for this reason, which is a great shame.
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| Ghostly self portrait disappearing into the depth of the Square. |