DAN McCabe is nothing if not a visionary.
The artist decided to take a look at Australia’s housing market and his idea led to an invitation to the Next Wave Festival in Victoria.
McCabe has put together a tent shaped like an early ’90s station wagon, an artistic creation he will call his home during the festival.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWHe will take his temporary shelter to several locations in Melbourne to start informal discussions with people who walk by.
“The key objective of Shadows on the Hill is to generate informal discussion on how we might disrupt or mitigate suburban aspiration and gentrification, attempting to offer a more humble and conscious way to view the landscape around us,” he said.
“I’m interested in the relationship Gen Y has with the concept of permanent housing, how it differs to previous generations, and what are the alternatives.
“Making a custom camping tent my home for the duration of the festival, I will invite festival-goers and passers-by to grab a cuppa and stay for a chat about this particular aspect of contemporary Australian society.”
McCabe was selected to develop the project as part of the festival’s Kickstart program and received a State Government grant of $15,727 to help him.
“Working with a festival like Next Wave is invaluable for local artists in the development of their careers,” he said.
Two other Fremantle artists – Katie West and Anna Louise Richardson – will also be a part of the festival with their shows Decolonist and Telltale.
The Next Wave Festival is on in Melbourne from May 5-22.