MORPHOLOGY

In Spring 2024, Hannah, in partnership with Jono Everett, 10 local arts facilitators and over 160 public participants brought to life ‘Morphology’.

The 8 meter long public sculpture was commissioned for Newcastle’s New Annual festival and built entirely from waste timber and broken furniture that was destined for landfill.

Participants were welcomed into the workshop to be involved in the creation of the piece – to be an artist – not just a spectator or observer. They became an integral part of the Morphology’s creation in the workshop.

Our co-creators were invited to engrave a story, a memory or a thought into a piece of broken furnishing, and then to fix it into the weave of the sculpture – imbuing the piece with collecting meaning. The form was chosen to represent memory.

Lighting designer Jarod Pak was commissioned to integrate bespoke, soft, pulsing lighting, and electronic musician Jet Everett was commissioned to compose a unique piece of music for the work.

Running in shifts, teams of people brought Morphology to life in only 5 days, before it was exhibited in Newcastle’s CBD for the arts festival’s closing event. Morphology was also later invited to be part of Canberra’s Enlighten Festival in 2025 and exhibited in the civic forecourt – the front porch of the nation’s High Court.

This project was a testament to power of community inclusion. Demonstrating that with many hands and minds, a work can collect so much more intricacy, meaning and foster community belonging.