Public artwork to enliven and enhance safety of Randwick health precinct

Randwick, located in Sydney’s east is having its Health & Innovation Precinct enlivened by the public artworks of two multidisciplinary Australian artists Lauren Brincat and Rochelle Haley. The installation in June is part of a new Laneway Art Program.

The leading Australian artists have been commissioned by Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct and supported by Transport for NSW’s Safer Cities program, with an aim to improve the night-time connectivity and comfort in the precinct through performance-based and site-specific artwork.

The Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct is a 24-Hour Precinct and home to four hospitals and a major university, with women comprising around 80% of the hospital's workforce, many working night shifts and moving through the campus streets after dark.

Both artwork commissions have been created in consultation with the health workers to better understand how they use the area and what would improve their experience across the site. Taking this feedback and the surrounding environment into consideration, each artwork aims to create more welcoming public spaces, improve connections for people walking across the neighbouring campuses, and enhance the feeling of community, safety and inclusivity. 

The Laneway Art Program has been split into two artwork commissions, with award-winning artist Lauren Brincat undertaking The Art & Wellbeing Commission and artist and leading researcher Rochelle Haley creating work for The Creative Lighting Commission.

When do I breathe? by Lauren Brincat will be a performance-based project bringing together diverse communities in the Precinct’s public spaces and streets. The project is the result of a year-long engagement with local communities and has been created in collaboration with sound artist Evelyn Ida Morris, UNSW Choral Director Sonia Maddock, and choreographer Charmene Yap.

Thirty community members have been brought together to connect, develop and rehearse this new work with the artist and team, before the public are invited to experience the one-time performance event, which will also be filmed, taking place on the evening of Wednesday 24 April.

This free public performance will commence at 5:30pm on UNSW Scientia Lawn with a procession moving through the streets at sunset. A large fabric sculpture will provide a connective thread that links participants and the broader community and audiences will witness orchestrated harmonies, including breath and movement.

For visitors travelling to the Precinct, Lauren Brincat’s sunset procession can be easily accessed via Light Rail. Scientia lawn is nearby the UNSW stop on the L2 Randwick Line or via a short walk from the NIDA stop on the Kensington Line.

Lunar Sway by Rochelle Haley is a site-specific, permanent artwork which aims to transform the laneways of the Randwick Health Campus, enhancing community engagement and wellbeing while walking or waiting.

To be unveiled in June, this light installation will feature glowing elliptical orbs and gently changing light beams suspended from custom poles in two key Precinct streets.

Inspired by lunar cycles and the colours of the sunrise and sunset, it will illuminate a corridor through the campus to connect people when walking to public transport, providing an uplifting experience and feeling of safety for health workers at night, whilst acting as a beacon for the broader community. The artwork aims to reimagine humans' connection to the night sky and each other, despite different viewpoints and experiences.

From June this year, Rochelle Haley’s project will transform the Health Precinct laneways, providing an ongoing and evolving connection with the area's night-life.

A five minute walk from the final stop on the L2 Randwick Line, the work will illuminate Nurses Drive off Avoca Street and nearby Francis Martin Drive. Visitors can stroll to enjoy the artwork and local area attractions such as the Newmarket Dining Precinct on Barker Street and Randwick Ritz Cinema and café’s on St Paul’s Street.

Transport for NSW Cities Revitalisation and Place Acting Executive Director Brooke Wharton advised “We all have a right to feel safe on our journeys home, to work, or to school and our Safer Cities Program aims to achieve that across NSW through a range of initiatives and projects.

“These artworks will help deliver some key place improvements around the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct that will improve the experience for those walking or cycling in the area, creating safer, more inviting connections for workers and visitors.”

Placemaking Curator & Producer for Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct, Sophie Forbat adds “Through this partnership with the Transport for NSW Safer Cities Program, these commissions aim to create more inviting spaces that bring communities together and support women, girls and gender diverse people to feel safer, day and night.

“Lauren Brincat and Rochelle Haley’s site-specific works highlight the enormous social value of art and design, not only to connect communities and create more vibrant and welcoming places, but to bring inspiration and creativity into public life. These projects are a wonderful demonstration of the vital role of the creative sector in individual and community health and wellbeing.”

Artist Lauren Brincat notes “This is an important opportunity to focus on and give back to a community who is primarily made up of healthcare workers.

“I am excited to make a work with my collaborators that focuses on holding space internally and uses this while gathering and contributing to vibrant and safe public space.”

Artist Rochelle Haley shared “Spaces we use to transition into and out of work modes are a chance to reset our focus, a moment to take a breath to ground ourselves, and remind us of our vital and unique connection to the universe and each other. 

“I hope that Lunar Sway encourages workers, visitors and the community to look up and reflect on the constant gentle glow and to bathe in the changing colour light patterns as they walk.”

This initiative is funded by Transport for NSW’s Safer Cities program, which is investing $30 million over two years to help improve perceptions of safety in our cities and towns, particularly for women, girls and gender diverse people.

ART PROJECT DETAILS:

When do I breathe? by Lauren Brincat
Location: Beginning at UNSW Scientia Lawn, moving through the Health Campus and concluding in the Heritage area of the Campus, off Avoca Street Randwick.  
Date: From 5:30pm Wednesday, 24th April 2024
Link to event page: here 

Lunar Sway by Rochelle Haley
Location: Nurses Drive and Francis Martin Drive Randwick
Date: to be unveiled in June 2024

Image. Examples of Public Art by Lauren Brincat and Rochelle Haley