strategic marketing
Wollongong Central turned a large vacancy into
an opportunity to host a major exhibition.
BEHIND THE SCENES:
A SHOT OF THE SWEET SIDE
Wollongong Central teams up to transform vacant space
Following the worldwide success of the Australian film Sweet Country,
Wollongong Central and aMBUSH Gallery partnered to present a public
art initiative based on the award-winning piece. Inspired by true events,
Sweet Country is set in 1929, in the Northern Territory outback, and tells
the story of an Aboriginal man on the run after killing a white man in
self-defense. Directed by Indigenous Australian, Warwick Thornton, the
period western features a group of emerging and established actors.
...a fresh perspective to an art form...
Behind the scenes, four still photographers made the trip to Alice
Springs to confront the outback experience and capture shots of the cast
members and locations during the making of the film. Earlier this year,
a collection of large-scale portraits and photos snapped by the on-set
team were featured in the Sweet Country Stills Exhibition at Wollongong
Central. The initiative was described as a groundbreaking partnership
between BUNYA Productions and PHOTOPLAY, supported by the Screen
Australia Indigenous Department and produced by aMBUSH Gallery. Free
of charge, it was the first time that the work was exhibited in a regional
market. Introducing viewers to the ins and outs of the dessert country,
the exhibition showcased the landscape as a stunning secondary character.
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Looking to activate an area of the shopping center with a large vacancy,
Wollongong Central reached out to aMBUSH Gallery. Having previously
teamed up to organize a series of activations, the shopping center approached
the gallery to find an available collection and further its working relationship.
Coinciding with the release of Sweet Country, the exhibition was relevant
and, like the film, well received.
“There’s a real intensity to the [exhibit] that can only be revealed in a space
that is able to accommodate these large-scale works. The Sweet Country Stills
Exhibition brings a fresh perspective to an art form, filmmaking, that is already
a documentation process in its own right, and we are thrilled to be able to give
people access to this experience,” said center manager, Cameron Tynan.
Dealing with a long-term vacancy, the selected activation needed to
offer a sense of longevity, give people a reason to visit, and require minimal
research. Sweet Country fit the list of requirements. Delivering on one of
its marketing goals, namely to create city experiences through unique
activations, Wollongong Central successfully converted an empty space
into a place for people to dwe ll, by the same token connecting two new key
retailers: David Jones Food and TK Maxx.
Due to the center’s re-development last year, the overall impact of the
exhibition is difficult to measure and compare. However, the feedback from the
public was positive and staff members were pleased with the change in ambience.