An ongoing series of interventions where different shelters in suburban areas (mainly bus stops on different routes, as well as football oval shelters, as pictured) are taken over and transformed early in the morning to look like they have been set-up for a party that is about the begin (or one that has ended). Party paraphernalia such as balloons, streamers, party hats, party poppers are arranged in the shelters for morning commuters to discover (without any signage or further information). This series is about subverting the often forgotten about or unappreciated, every-day, liminal spaces where we co-exist but rarely connect.
Shelter Takeover
Moreover, by using hokey, cheap and familiar aesthetics through the style of decoration often reminiscent of back-yard kids parties, these symbols become quite intimate and sentimental. And when placed in a civic, frequently used space as a bus shelter, subvert the idea of how we define our public and private spaces, and by extension or public and private selves.
Observations of the shelters would routinely reveal the same commuters (often at the same time each day) who would almost never greet or acknowledge one another. However, once the shelter was decorated the mood would often change entirely, as the randomness and nonsensical of it would often be an ice-breaker that got commuters talking.
