Art in the Lotus Garden with Godfrey Hirst
At Godfrey Hirst we love a challenge, and when our fabulous Queensland team was approached by the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, to produce a custom carpet for an upcoming exhibition, we jumped at the opportunity.
Hong Kong born Australian artist Kate Beynon has developed a stunning interactive exhibition especially for children called ‘Friendly Beasts’. Drawing on a range of influences including animation, Western and Eastern comic books, film, graffiti, calligraphy and fashion, Kate’s work highlights the multi-cultural reality inherent in today’s global citizenry.
The ‘Friendly Beasts’ paintings animate four benign hybrid entities informed by mythology, deities, theatrical masks and mystical creatures, who each display their own unique personality.
Featuring Blue Shaman, Lotus Monkey, Tu-Dao Dog and Gorgon Girl, the aim of the exhibition is to promote imagination, self-expression and fun through a series of interactive activities.
Together with their families, children are immersed in a colourful fantasy world and encouraged to create a new hybrid ‘beast’ through mask-making, to dance with the beasts in a video installation, and participate in collaborative drawing activities adding to the magical world of The Lotus Garden.
Godfrey Hirst was commissioned to produce a bespoke carpet to complement and showcase The Lotus Garden. Our in-house creative team’s response was a vibrant design that, along with custom lighting evoking an opening lotus blossom, provided an inspirational representation of Kate’s colourful work.
Manufactured using our market leading and Australian first Designer Jet® capability, the bright images were produced on 1.96m wide cut pile carpet, allowing for fewer visible joins and displaying incredible colour capabilities and colourfast properties. Along with a commercial extra heavy duty rating, the stain resistant finish ensured it was the ideal commercial carpet for not only a public space but one largely inhabited by artistic little ones!
Designer Jet® facilitates true innovation, where literally any colour, pattern and motif is possible using a diverse range of textures. From cut pile to loop, with the option of combining both cut and loop pile in the one carpet, Designer Jet® allows for incredible design flexibility. With shorter manufacturing lead times than other custom flooring options, Designer Jet® bespoke carpets are not only proudly produced in Australia, but are the most cost effective option for custom design.
‘Friendly Beasts’ ran from April to October 2017 and Godfrey Hirst is proud to have contributed to a part of the Australian cultural and artistic landscape.
Credits:
Project: Kate Beynon ‘Friendly Beasts’ on display in the Children’s Art Centre at GOMA 1 April to 22 October 2017
Product: Custom Designer Jet® Sheet
Courtesy: The artist, Milani Gallery, Brisbane and Sutton Gallery, Melbourne
Photography: Scott Burrows
Commissioned by the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Children’s Art Centre
