ART is getting wordy at the Off the Page exhibition of installations in shops that started the first Scribblers Children’s Literature and Arts Festival in Claremont this morning.
“This is the whole purpose of the exhibition and the festival, to show that business and art can work together and we are encouraging people to come to the town centre,” Claremont Mayor Jock Barker said.
The council-backed Off the Page comprises 10 artists’ work at 11 locations across the Town until May 13, and has been established to promote the related festival which starts next week.
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READ NOW“This creates a walking art gallery,” Mr Barker said.
International artists include those from the USA, Spain, Germany and the UK, and they with six Western Australians including renowned Stormie Mills have been asked to use paper, writing and visual cues to create installations which the businesses have placed on their premises.
Los Angeles-based artist Mike Stilkey used books publicy donated to create a portrait of the first schoolteacher in Claremont, Miss Herbert, which is on show at Empire Homewares.
“The book used to be so powerful, and now it isn’t because now you can get anything instantaneously on the Internet,” Stilkey said.
The other installations are at Dilettante, Jac + Jack, Elle et lui Shoes, the Claremont Community Hub, Mama Tran, Claremont Quarter, Monde Design, The Lane Bookshop, Cult Status and Claremont Council.
The Scribblers Children’s Literature and Arts Festival of school and free family activities will be held May 9 to May 13.
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