The Pattern Table

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Research Background: The context and site for this creative work is The Emily McPherson Building at RMIT, which historically housed the first Women's College in Victoria. It was commissioned by RMIT University to highlight and communicate specific histories of the college and its role in the education of women. The research also explores the materiality of sculptural relief in relation to its historical, technological and theoretical context of architecture, the city and the viewer. The project investigates the potential of contemporary relief to change the experience of the contemporary urban environment. Research contribution: This creative work "The Pattern Table" represents an original, site specific, sculptural relief work within the Australian urban context. Drawing off the historical, archival materials held in the RMIT University Library and antecedents in relief sculpture It addresses key theoretical ideas around the contemporary experience of spatio-temporal compression in the urban context and successfully demonstrates how these precedents can be redeployed through studio-based research to redefine the contemporary status of relief sculpture and extend existing narratives of time and space. In so doing this work makes a valuable contribution to the local and international field of public urban art. Research Significance: This creative work represents the first permanent Public Art Work ever to be commissioned RMIT University and was selected by a prestigious judging panel which include professional peers and the current Vice Chancellor Margaret Gardner. It has been featured on the RMIT main web page promoting creative work at the University and as part of the permanent art collection will have an ongoing impact into the foreseeable future.