Monuments of the Everyman 1st - 31st October 2014

Saturday the 4th of October 2014 marked the opening of Monuments of the Everyman - an exhibition curated by myself and Jacqueline Larcombe at NANA contemporary art space Newcastle.

In this group exhibition artists from across Sydney and Newcastle were invited to create monuments that memorialised the everyday experience. In an exhibition designed to question the hierarchical value placed on certain people and events in society, artists were encouraged to create personal works that would stand in contrast to an exclusionary history.

With this concept in mind I created the work Achievement Trophies. Each of the 26 Achievement Trophies in this work is a monument to an everyday personal achievement. Over a two-month period I handcrafted individual trophies according to the daily achievements of various members of the public. Participants in this collaborative project shared their achievements via text message, Facebook and in person. Despite being made out of valueless materials, sourced from the bin, the Achievement Trophies work together to create an enticing visual spectacle that pays homage to the value and luster of everyday experiences. 

Below is the list of achievements that were featured in the Achievement Trophies and were catalogued in the exhibition program:

                        1.Went to my first theatre audition

2. Enjoyed a productive morning before Uni

3. Sold my first plushie / soft sculpture

4. Dyed 7 black hats

5. Planted an indoor garden

6. Got out of bed

7. Went on a date

8. Made my mum laugh

9. Got a hair cut

10. Peeled an orange in one go

11. Walked around the block on my newly replaced knee

12. Went to Tasmania for the first time

13. Found my stolen Vespa

14. Met my accountant for the first time

15. Repaired a broken vase on a grave

16. Grew my butt after 2 gym classes

17. Finished my road trip around Australia

18. Received positive class feedback

19. Didn’t miss my bus stop on the way to work

20. Shovelled stinky compost without vomiting

21. Taught an 8 year old to tell the time

22. Constructed an IKEA bed

23.Got 28/30 for a Uni assignment

24. Was less than perfect

25. Unblocked the sink.

During the opening event on Saturday the 4th of October, recipients of the trophies were awarded their prize in an informal ceremony. Including Chris Brown (pictured) who received a baton for creating an indoor garden.

Achievement Trophies exhibited alongside works by Rosie Deacon , Flynn Doran and Eleanor Hanlon.

Monuments of the Everyman forms part of the 2014 This Is Not Art (TINA) festival program that responds to the Critical Animals theme:  Possible Futures. The combination of sculpture, site specific work and performance showcased in Monuments of the Everyman can be understood as signposts of the present for future generations.