This class we had an excursion to ‘Testing Grounds’, located behind the Arts Centre, this was a space provided for artists to display artwork and other art purposes. It was a sacred Aboriginal land originally before becoming the first Hoyts Cinema, to then becoming a car park before its time as a place for art culture. It’s interesting that the place is directly next to such high arts centres such as the Arts Centre and the NGV as this place is provided for emerging artists.  Joseph discussed the overall structure of the place, I love how the crates are formed in little clusters surrounded with plants and flowers, it’s almost as if the area was a mini city with rooftop gardens with the different levels of woods and crates. Another thing I admired was how this small space of dirt, grass and nature was contrasted against the sky scarpers, brick buildings and city landscape, at first I didn’t notice the place and now it seems so out of place. From afar, without knowledge, the place seemed meaningless, as if someone had given up on a project, a “non-place”, however that was the exact opposite, this is project made for the emerging art culture.

Here is a link to the site: http://www.testing-grounds.com.au/