Vault
Things we talk about at lunch.
Since 1978, it's been referred to as The Yellow Peril by the newspapers,The Thing by artist Ron Robertson-Swann (before it had its proper name) and Steelhenge by the workers who had to construct it.
It's actual name is Vault, and it was our topic of discussion over lunch today, after we'd microwaved our respective meals and walked to the little park at the corner to eat.
"But ...what is it...?" was the most frequent question, and being the resident art student, I'm here to provide an answer. So, despite its original working name, it's not supposed to be a thing, as such. The official description from the public art competition it was entered into was "a yellow painted fabricated steel construction, large in size and brightly coloured". At a basic level, it's a geometric, abstract and vibrant artwork that suggests dynamic movement.
As one might infer from the nickname The Yellow Peril, it's also been the cause of some controversy over the years. Some councillors hated it, some loved it, some just wanted a nice fountain for City Square. The Queen wasn't entirely sold on the colour choice.¹ It was evicted from City Square with a change of government, then hidden away in Batman Park, and now stands proudly on the gravel between the rust-coated ACCA and red-brick VCA.
The kids who arrived while we were eating decided it was a great playground.
¹ Peril in the Square: The Sculpture that Challenged a City review, Alan Attwood
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Leonie Connellan
Web EditorLeonie enjoys annoying Gareth, so she's writing this profile in the third person.
Leonie has been collecting degrees for a while now. She started out studying advertising and has a history as a copywriter. She has worked in advertising agencies, remote Aboriginal communities, libraries and art galleries. Leonie also has a BA in Fine Art (Printmaking) and has just completed her Master of Fine Art. She makes art about science, space, stories and textiles — learn more about her art practice here.
Leonie was the very first Australian Citizen to be employed by Tangent One. During her interview, Si McEvoy referred to her CV as "fascinating reading". As a web editor, Leonie creates HTML emails, designs, works on various writing projects and is responsible for looking after Tangent One's social media accounts. She often brings baked goods into the office and enjoys randomly quoting Batty's monologue.