Winner Announced for New Public Art Commission at Jewell Station.

Local artist Fleur Summers has been selected for a new public art commission at Jewell Station in Brunswick, which is being transformed by developer Neometro and State Government agency VicTrack.

As one of the first steps towards the transformation, Jewell Station will  house an installation of branching steel and bronze sculptures, designed to create community connections through touch.

Making Sense, the title of the work, is derived from branching networks and botanical structures. As part of a community consultation process, Summers will work with Brunswick Secondary School art students to create the work. This process will give students the opportunity to develop an enduring connection to the work by creating a lasting impression on the surface of the bronze through touch.

After successful collaborations on previous Neometro projects, Utopian Slumps contributed their curatorial talents, with founding director Melissa Loughnan heading the judging panel that included VicTrack’s Development Manager Aoife Kealy, BKK Architects’ Simon Knott, Glas Urban’s Mark Gillingham, RMIT’s Dr Geoff Hogg, Moreland City Council’s Dan Mitchell and Neometro’s Jeff Provan.

Provan said that Fleur Summers’ Making Sense is a community-minded and interactive work that will reflect the ethos of the new Jewell Station precinct.

“Making Sense will operate as a key feature of the Jewell Station development and wider precinct and will appeal to the common interests of the residents and local community,” Provan said.

“We had an overwhelming response to the call for entries and the judging panel had a hard time choosing the overall winner from the four finalists.”

“I look forward to working with Fleur to implement a meaningful piece of art that will forever be the public’s to enjoy.”

VicTrack’s Peter Chau, General Manager Property Group, said the new sculpture will be an exciting addition to the public realm at Jewell Station.

“VicTrack is investing in improvements to the area around Jewell Station as part of the redevelopment of the station precinct, and this artwork is a great opportunity to get the community involved in creating their new space.”

“The public realm will include improved access to the station, an upgraded bike path and community spaces, which will complement the shops and services being built as part of Neometro’s two new mixed-use developments.”

“VicTrack will continue to maintain and support the public realm once it is complete, to benefit commuters, the people of Brunswick and the new residents living at the station.”

The public art competition for Jewell Station was first announced in November 2016. Four artists – James Geurts, Sanné Mestrom, Jessie Stanley and Fleur Summers – were then shortlisted and awarded grants to progress their concepts.

In February 2017, while the judges deliberated on the overall winner, members of the public were given the opportunity to vote for their People’s Choice. The outcome of the public voting weighed alongside the judges’ criteria for their final selection. This criteria included artistic integrity, response to the environment, evidence of community consultation and capacity to deliver. The People’s Choice favourite was Jessie Stanley, who was highly commended by the judges.

For more information on joining the Jewell Station community, enquire at www.jewellstation.com.