Fabric art, sculptured and painted

Carriageworks, the largest contemporary multi-arts center of its kind in Australia, is a space that welcomes socially and culturally diverse artists whose vision is often exhilarating and cutting edge. Housed in an old rail yard in the Redfern area of Sydney, the center features a distinctive 19th century industrial aesthetic. The former railway carriage and blacksmith workshops have been retained along with original iron and brick details, providing a dramatic backdrop for exhibitions.

Recently, Carriageworks commissioned an installation by renowned German artist Katharina Grosse as part of the Schwartz Carriageworks series of international projects. Grosse, known for epic, large-scale works in a kaleidoscope of color, created a site-specific piece she titled, “The Horse Trotted Another Couple of Metres, Then It Stopped,” to convey the idea of stopping expected ritualized movements to open oneself up to a vision not seen before.

Grosse created an art piece that envelopes the space using more than 8,000 square meters of fabric. She draped and knotted it across and through the architectural elements of the building, then created a multilayered painting on surfaces and folds of fabric using a spray gun.

Visitors entering the space were both observers and participants, immersed in a world saturated
in color. For more information, visit www.carriageworks.com.