FINAL FOUR FOR MAJOR CANBERRA ARTWORK ANNOUNCED

Four artists and design teams have been asked to refine and fully develop their proposed designs for a major Centenary artwork for Canberra, as the selection process enters its final phase.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said the ‘final four’ designs, from which it was hoped a winning design would emerge, were by Arcimix, Aspect Studios, Hassell and Clive Murray White.

A total of 41 proposals were received from around Australia to design and fabricate a major new $1 million public artwork for the Northbourne Avenue median, between London Circuit and City Hill.

Thirteen designs were long-listed and displayed in the Canberra Centre in October 2007 for community comment.

More than 500 Canberrans nominated their preferred designs and these comments were provided to the selection panel when it convened to choose four designs to be fully worked up by the artists.

Interviews with the four shortlisted artists/design teams will be held this month to brief them on this process and it is anticipated that a preferred design will be announced in April.

Mr Stanhope said work would commence on the winning design later this year, helping to mark 100 years since the Canberra district was selected as the site for the new national capital, in 1908.

The final four designs were selected by the ACT Public Art Panel members – Dr Paul Hetherington, Dr Ian Templeman, Mr Graham Humphries and GW Bot – as well as three eminent Canberrans, the former director of the National Gallery of Australia, Dr Betty Churcher, former Governor-General and Patron of the Centenary, Sir William Deane, and 2007 Canberra Citizen of the Year, Jack Waterford.

Further information on the Major Canberra Artwork project can be found at www.arts.act.gov.au or by telephoning artsACT on telephone 6207 2384.

Images of the final four designs are available on request.