100 Banners, 23.5 Million Whispers

The Project

100 Banners, 23.5 Million Whispers is a collaborative art project by Alizon Gray & Simon O'Carrigan. You can be part of it! Find us at one of our banner making locations and contribute your own banner to the project (using the materials we provide).

The finished work will be shown at the 2014 Toyota Community Spirit Prize from 19 November, 2014 running March 2015. With any luck, it will get other showings elsewhere in the future.

Check out where we will set up next, and what we've done so far, via our Facebook event page. (This event will be updated for each new banner making session!)

What's it all about?

Protests build community whilst voicing opinions on leadership decisions that will impact upon local, national and international communities. Often such decisions are irreversible and have far reaching implications. Though the aims of various protest movements may differ, many cite the core issue as being lack of public consultation and the feeling that the voice of the people is not being heard. Raising petitions and protesting in the street has long been an essential constituent of our history and democratic free speech. However, in Victoria there are now laws that can be used to sentence peaceful protesters with gaol time. This artwork is a timely and poignant reflection on the changing social and cultural situation in Australia and around the world: it can feel as though our democratic rights and proportional representation are being challenged.

Before installation of 100 Banners, 23.5 Million Whispers within the Toyota grounds we are inviting members of the public to ink messages onto calico and then we will immediately wash the words out. The ink will slightly stain the calico so that only a hint of the message is left. Washing away the slogans reflects the muted protests of citizens; the erosion of the opposing voice. Rather than focus on any one issue or cause, this artwork captures the emotional groundswell of discontent when the voice of community opposition falls on deaf ears.

Monday, 12 January 2015

Thank you all!

A very belated update to give a special thanks to all who helped us along the way, and to the enthusiastic Ken Wong who helped us with the whole process.

We got an honourable mention, and second place!

Not bad for two artists who usually paint, and not run giant community projects or make large scale installation sculptures!

We suspect we did well because of all the cool banners you all made.

Thanks everyone!

Saturday, 25 October 2014

About Us

Alizon Gray is a Melbourne artist whose multi-disciplinary practice involves painting, video and installation. She has completed a BFA (with Honours) at the Victorian College of the Arts. Gray has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions nationally and has been a finalist in numerous art prizes. Her works are in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, England, Germany and Switzerland.

Simon O’Carrigan’s work includes painting, drawing, collage and hand-drawn animation. He studied a BFA at The Victorian College of the Arts, and BFA (Honours) at Monash University. Since 2005, his works have been in over twenty group shows, has staged thirteen solo shows, and his animations have screened in over twenty-five animation festivals internationally. He has been awarded prizes & grants for all aspects of his creative output, and has served as a judge for the Melbourne International Animation Festival. He lives and works in Melbourne.

100 Banners, 23.5 Million Whispers

The Project

Monday, 12 January 2015

Thank you all!

Sunday, 16 November 2014

Installation of the banners for the Sculpture 14 Prize

Saturday, 25 October 2014

City Square, Swanston St, Melbourne – Saturday 25 October 2014

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