PUBLIC artWORK - OVERVIEW
Laura Woodward’s practice includes the creation of large sculptural installations for the public realm. In creating these works, she draws on her broad skillset which traverses specialisations including kinetics, sculpture, installation, interactive design, industrial design, mechanics, engineering, systems thinking, and aesthetic considerations. The combination of an active and extensive artistic practice, project management experience, public art experience, and design and fabrication capability attests to her capacity to develop and deliver significant artworks for the public realm.
As well as her extensive exhibition record, Woodward has undertaken several significant artworks for the public realm, with public commission budgets totalling over $560,000. Woodward co-owns the design and fabrication company Like Butter Pty Ltd with Jem Freeman, providing substantial design and fabrication capacities to her artworks, both for exhibition and for major commissions. Woodward’s two largest public artworks were produced in collaboration with Freeman and Like Butter, each drawing together technologies in innovative new ways. VOICES at Craigieburn Central ($175,000), integrates a bell-tolling system with a motion sensor system to ‘play’ seven giant tubular bells as people walk by. MURMUR at Marina Tower, Docklands ($320,000), combines optic fibre lighting (usually lit with much older technology) with 20,000 individually controlled LEDs to create a 75-metre animated sculptural lighting work.
In both cases, it was Woodward and Freeman’s combined ability to work effectively and innovatively across and between technological fields and with a range of experts and consultants, as well as their extensive in-house fabrication and design capabilities, that facilitated such complex and unique outcomes. As well as delivering innovative conceptual responses to public art briefs, their team can undertake full project management, overseeing everything required to manage the project’s delivery, including design and documentation, bringing together an excellent specialist team, liaising with the client, the art consultant, the architect, the builder, all stakeholders and authorities, and fabrication and installation of the final artwork. This ensures the development and delivery of exciting, engaging and unique artworks to be enjoyed by the public for many years to come.