“…an otherworldly biodome that teleports itself to towns and cities around Queensland and bends reality around it.”
To me, Fringe festivals around the world are defined by their multi-disciplinary approach to programming — unlike music trails, mural festivals or other genre-focused activations, the Fringe festival as a concept is uniquely positioned to support a wide variety of weird and wonderful outsider and emergent artists whose practice blend between visual arts, theatre, comedy, dance and music.
As an artist who has existed on the fringe for much of my career, working in visual arts, design, fashion & performing in bands for most of my life, I feel a very strong kinship to these festivals and am thrilled at the opportunity to help develop the visual identity for the first state-wide festival of its’ kind.
My practice as a visual artist and designer explores the emotional memory of growing up in Queensland, and the innate beauty and strangeness of my hometown Brisbane; its subcultures, its ecology, its unique look and feel.
In developing this concept, I was thinking about the huge-ness of Queensland and its enormous diversity in cities, small regional towns, rainforests, deserts and agricultural hubs. Simultaneously I was thinking about how public art, live music and performance are important oases for outsiders and creatives who may not have found their people yet! The idea of a travelling festival that pops up in outback QLD to be loud and fabulous and weird is just so evocative and worthy of celebration! I want this artwork to feel welcoming to all, but also a nod for those whom a festival like QFF could be that oasis.