Pure fate

2022, Oil on Italian Linen, 130 x 130cm

The late 20th century saw a in Australia period of optimism and economic security wrought from isolation, peace and the discovery of gold. It resulted in a flourishing of the arts, industry and technology; The Belle Époque.

One of it’s more unlikely manifestations were warehouses and factories designed to be beautiful. The Ottoman inspired brickwork chimneys imbued these utilitarian structures with the spirit of the age: built beyond mere function, built for future generations.

Little did the builders know what lay in store. The Belle Époque ended with the devastations of the First World War. The reordering of global power would see jobs exported and these industrial inner suburbs transformed into empty shells. Until they were finally rediscovered by the urban professional.

Now these mighty towers lie silent but for the hiss of coffee machines and the chatter of the urbane, planning a new golden era. Or perhaps, lunch.