Highly talented audio-visual artist Roly Skender, of Frankensound, will be shedding new light on Collie’s future as part of the Art and Tech Fest being held this Saturday in Central Park.
Mr Skender, whose work has lit up some of Western Australia’s most important landmarks, said his brief was to ‘honour the past and look to the future’.
Mr Skender dropped into Collie recently to seek inspiration for his video art projection show on the old Goods Shed building adjacent to Central Park.
“I arrived in Collie with a set of plans that completely changed when I saw the location and realised how well suited specific areas would be for different types of projections,” he said.
He was immediately drawn to the 1898 building that was once the bustling heart of the town where the steam trains of old pulled right in to unload their cargo.
“There's some very unique things about the zones we've set aside for the art that are perfect for projection,” he said.
“The audience will witness a few surprises and I'm very much looking forward to the event.”
Previous locations for Mr Skender’s work have included the National Library in Perth for its 125th anniversary celebrations and Fremantle’s Town Hall in remembrance of WWI soldiers.
While Mr Skender has remained tight-lipped about what his projection will entail, he said should prepare for the unexpected.
“We just need a coal train to come through town and the show will be a complete blockbuster,” he joked.
He also said trees were a favourite focus for his projector lens and he had a few lined up in Collie as an added bonus.
Art and Tech Fest patrons will have to wait until dark to see Mr Skender’s work unveiled, though it will continue until 11pm, giving patrons a chance to sit back and enjoy his interpretation of Collie’s past and future.
The presentation will be just one of a number of attractions in Central Park on Saturday for the festival with workshops and think tanks on music, film and art are being conducted throughout the day with community celebrations kicking off at 6pm in the Bendigo Bank Music Shell.
All activities during the festival, which is being held by Operation Next Gen, are being offered free of charge thanks to the support of the Collie and Districts Community Bank.
A full program can be found at www.ongcollie.com with bookings required for the workshops.
