The
main source for this work is the utopian, hybrid landscape of
El Dorado, the scenic wallpaper produced by the French company
Zuber in 1849. Scenic landscape wallpapers were exclusive to
French wallpaper production companies but were popular around
the world in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The original
wallpapers were created using, what sometimes came to thousands
of wood blocks. Sparks' large format prints utilize contemporary
digital photographic technology. This process heightens the
hyper real quality, creating landscapes that appear so real
that they should exist but are impossible at the same time.
Each piece of work includes elements from different locations,
times of the day and seasons which are assembled to create a
seamless, flawless and therefore impossible place, emphasizing
the way European representation of the landscape can be a highly
constructed and fantastical process. There are multiple moments
present and multiple points of perspective. The authority of
the representation of landscape and place is disrupted.
Zuber's El Dorado is a lush picturesque garden scene meandering
through different terrain. It is a condensed world view which
includes architectural features and scenes from the American,
European, Asian and African continents and reveals an attitude
toward the world at a time of increased access, travel and colonial
activity. El Dorado Springs takes this idea and jumps ahead
to contemporary Melbourne where we find an urban terrain that
includes architectural features and places of worship for many
communities who have migrated to Australia. Mainly found on
the periphery of suburban Melbourne, these buildings also tell
us something about the history of migration to Australia, the
patterns of settlement, and the desire to create a sense of
the sacred (or perhaps religious gravitas), by people who have
found themselves far from home, whether that be through exile
or choice. This includes (in order from left to right) the:
Russian Orthodox Church in East Brunswick, Linh Son Buddhist
Congregation Reservoir, Alliance Francais St Kilda *, Shri Shiva
Vishnu Temple Carrum Downs, St Patrick's Cathedral Melbourne,
Bright Moon Buddhist Society Springvale, Albanian Australian
Islamic Society North Carlton, and the Sikh Temple Gurudwara
Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Craigieburn.
The mountains that form the back ground are the Zagros Mountains.
Photographs were taken from the plane on a recent trip to Europe
over the area of the Iran Iraq border. All other non architectural
elements have been gathered from a variety of locations in Australia,
New Zealand, France and the UK.
Valerie
Sparks would like to thank the communities who created these
buildings for making the streetscapes of Melbourne so much
more interesting. Valerie would also like to thank; Claire
Harris from Flinders Lane Gallery for her support and enthusiasm
throughout the creation of the work for this exhibition; family
and friends for encouragement, love and laughter through all
of her creative endeavors. Thanks to Laura Di Florio for assistance
in installing the work, Andrew Brophy for an ongoing creative
dialogue, and for printing and production: Fini, Pauline and
Roger from Colour Factory, and in particular Brian and Di
Gilkes from Pharos Editions.
*
The Alliance Franciase building Eildon was not built by the
French community in Melbourne but as a site for cultural activity
is included as a link to the country from which the scenic
wallpapers originated. In addition Eildon Manion was designed
by Reed and Barnes, now Bates Smart who, arguably more than
any other firm, created and contributed to the distinct built
form of early (and indeed contemporary) Melbourne, a form
that made manifest Melbourne's identity as a European outpost.
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