Plant a Pinwheel

August 2011

Taylors Square, Darlinghurst, NSW

Following the success of the community art project, Much Lead, held at Object, Australia's Centre for Craft & Design, Claire McCaughan was seeking to engage with another community for a more public art piece. Claire has been volunteering with the Asylum Seekers Centre of NSW since late last year and she thought art and craft making would be a great way to help this community connect to the city in which they live.

Claire and her creative partner Belqis Youssofzay held workshops as part of the Sydney Design festival 2011. The craftmakers consisted of asylum seekers, refugees and the general public.  The pinwheels were all included in a public art installation at Taylor Square in Darlinghurst. This process allowed the group of craftmakers to became more connected to the city and to one another.

In lieu of natural growth, unsustainable in gritty Taylor Square, a community made garden of pinwheels grew. This collaborative public art project empowered the local community to engage with place through gardening. Furthermore, with the support of Reverse Garbage and JCDeceaux Australia, the pinwheels were crafted out of recycled material.

Project Team

Claire McCaughan, Belqis Youssofzay