The Chelmsford Place Town Square was brought to life with projection art on the water tower. Photo: Leeton Shire Council.
While spray-painted silo art has been all the rage across the Riverina of late, Leeton Shire Council found a different way to spruce up one of its biggest landmarks.
In early November, the water tower at Chelmsford Place Town Square was lit up during its night markets through projection technology, with a design that highlighted the ornamental parapet and featured elements of the shire, such as the Roxy Theatre, rice, water, cotton and the Australasian bittern.
“Unlike a permanent painted mural, the virtual mural design provides unparalleled versatility and is not subject to fading and chipping or extensive maintenance,” Leeton Council’s Michelle Evans said.
“Whilst the currently displayed artwork will be a staple for many nights to come, the water tower will become a canvas lending itself to many occasions, such as our upcoming second movie night (16 November) and event favourites such as the Art Deco Festival and SunRice Festival.”
The tower was designed by American architect Walter Burley Griffin in 1912, the man who planned Leeton (as well as Griffith and Canberra). The artwork also pays tribute to his legacy.
The project, funded by the State and Federal governments, has been in the works since 2021 and came to fruition after a projector was installed during the recent redevelopment of the Chelmsford Place Town Square. The virtual mural is programmed to run from 8:15 to 11:30 pm during the summer months and into autumn, turning the water towers into a backdrop for Leeton’s redeveloped town square. Times will change over the winter months.
Griffith art lover and advocate Rhonda Miranda says projection art can play a role in complementing painted silo art across the Riverina.
“I think it depends on the situation and where they are situated; if they don’t want to do a permanent one up, you can do a projection every now and again for a special occasion, like they do with the Sydney Opera House,” she said.
“They’ve always had festivals at Chelmsford Place; it works really well with that; it looks lovely there in Leeton.
“It all helps attract tourism here, just like the painted water tower that was recently done in Griffith.”
The water tank mural on Griffiths’s Scenic Hill has also attracted a lot of attention. Photo: Griffith City Council.
Deputy Mayor Cr Michael Kidd, who is also the portfolio lead for arts and culture, said it was pleasing to read some of the commentary online, with residents praising the artwork for its style, colours and depiction of Leeton.
“It’s a great asset for our town and I’m sure will draw many visitors to our refreshed town square. It will allow us to activate Chelmsford Place more effectively and frequently through the utilisation of the new projection technology,” he said.
Council is also planning for a virtual Christmas tree projection during the upcoming holiday season.
For more information on this project please visit the council website or phone the council on 6953 0911.
Original Article published by Oliver Jacques on Region Riverina.
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