Details.
info
×

Details

info
×

The audiences interacting with Grass is greener in Alice Springs at Watch This Space inc.,Alice Springs, 2009. 

info
×
Two young audiences interacting with Grass is greener in Alice Springs at Watch This Space inc.,Alice Springs, 2009. 
info
×
Grass is greener in Alice Springs, 2009. 
Speakers, paper, floral foam blocks, a mp3 player, audio cables, sound of hosing grass. Various sizes.

Grass is Greener in Alice Springs is an installation work that consists of paper sculpture and sound work.  Paper sculpture features an ever-green ‘grass land’ that is built with green colour paper and red sand coloured floral foams. The ‘grass land’ will lie on the floor and cover a square 2.5 x 2.5 m.  Dotted in the ‘grass’, a number of small black speakers will transmit the sound of hosing grass. A hidden sound-player device will be placed outside the ‘grass land’ and be connected to all.


The idea of Grass is Greener in Alice Springs is developed from my three-day travelling experience in Alice Spring in March 2008.  During the entire trip, I was impressed and overwhelmed by the Alice Springs unique desert landscape -- the distinctive red sandstone, the dried sandy riverbanks and gums.  However, the thing that I remember the most about this trip is not watching beautiful sunsets on the hill, driving on the red dirty road to the gorge and sitting by the fire under the sky full of stars.  Instead, the thing I remember most is the shining green grass in the front yards of houses that I saw on the west side of Alice Springs. 


These grasses sparkled in the desert sunshine.  With the strong contrast to the arid land, they were showing the owners’ selfish but strong will of pursuing their 'Dream Life'. It seems that this life won’t be changed in any conditions or situations and will be fulfilled at any cost. 


The front yard with evergreen grasses officially announces the owners’ achievement of this 'Dream Life'. It can be considered a compulsory part of the dream house and having it symbolizes the achievement of the happiness. 


However, do these try contrived green front yards speak of a truly happy life? To create a fake grassland at Watch This Space is to question the truth of happiness that is presented by these grassy front yards.  Grass is Greener in Alice Springs is an out of context experience mimicking the 'dislocation' which can be felt when these green lawns are seen on a desert land like Alice Springs.     


Using Format