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Material donated by artist Georgia Goud. The Village was part of the Autumn 2022 Fuse Festival.
Artist: Georgia Goud
Sound recordings and editing: Mia Spiteri
Gardening is a quiet but important art form. It shapes the look, feel and atmosphere of our streets, our childhoods, our lives. Gardens are the products of determined visions: of sweat, of patience, of entwined cultural influences.
The Village is a photography and oral history installation. Recorded reminiscences offer glimpses into the creative processes and social history behind both some remarkable older gardens of Reservoir, and the suburb itself. Contemporary photographs present a view of suburban gardens informed by these memories and the artist’s own imaginings of past times.
Listen to Mrs Simmons of Charlton Crescent, to Vincenza and her son Albert of Wilson Boulevard or to Enrico of Hughes Parade, and survey their gardens and neighbourhoods for traces of the suburb they remember, the Reservoir of the 1960s and 70s – The Village.
Albert and Vincenza at the Olivetree.jpg
Vincenza
Vincenza and Albert at the shell Balustrade.jpg
Vincenza, Albert and Rose at the front door.jpg
Mia interviewing Vincenza in the Back garden jpg
Albert and Vincenza's front garden.jpg
Shrub decorated with shells along fence.jpg
Potplant with doorbell in front of brown brick and roller blind with lace curtain peeking out.jpg
Pot plant on top of marble patio. Lace-curtain in draped over axminstercarpet.jpg
Shells of Wilson Boulevard.jpg
Shells of Wilson Boulevard with olive and citrus trees.jpg
Albert and Vincenza's house with sunflare.jpg
Tap with shell garden.jpg
Garden edging with shells.jpg
Enrico and Vincenza on the back patio.jpg
Enrico and Vincenza on the back patio smiling.pg
Enrico smoking.jpg
Fig tree and bird "scarer".jpg
Plum tree and bird "scarers".jpg
View to the back of the house.jpg
Chillies for minestrone drying.jpg
Chillies for minestrone drying 2.jpg
Chook house with fruit trees and bamboo. Bird "scarers" on the garden.jpg
Tomatoes and capsicum growing.jpg
The Village. Rosa's garden. View from Hughes Parade house.jpg
Margaret Simmons at her front garden.jpg
"Queen Margaret"
Margaret at the Kitchen Table.jpg
Margaret's House from the street.jpg
Margaret's Driveway.jpg
Margaret's Driveway with budgie statues.jpg
Margaret Simmons' Well.jpg
Margaret's garden. Brick wall decorated with hanging cupid statue and "My Garden" sign.jpg
Margaret's Frontlawn.jpg
Margaret's "Snowhite Frontlawn".jpg
Margaret's front curb.jpg
Flamingo and roses in front of lace curtain.jpg
White Statue of woman in Margaret's garden.jpg
Steps at Margaret's house.jpg
Margaret's Simmons' Dining room.jpg
Margaret Simmons' Dinning Room table with dolls.jpg
Margaret Simmons' Lounge room.jpg
Margaret Simmons' Lounge room and front door.jpg
Reservoir Savannah.jpg
Sheep in the dappled morning light with temporary fencing.jpg
Sheep in the dappled morning light with walnut tree and temporary fencing.jpg
Sheep with prickly pear and north Reservoir.jpg
Sheep grazing with a fox.jpg