Description
City of Melbourne’s Laneway Commissions 2008 – a season of contemporary artworks in the public domain – present six diverse projects in the CBD. Amid the rubbish bins and rats of Cocker Alley, a magical, golden pipe structure crawls over the back of the Nicholas Building. Welcome to Cocker Alley inhabits the grimy peripheral zone of the laneway. The man-made pipes reflect lines in nature and are part of a simple exploration of beauty. The network of pipes is invested with a sense of value through the embellishment of their surfaces with gold leaf. The Nicholas Building was constructed with the influx of wealth brought by the Gold Rush. Gold was integrated into the building from its conception. The building’s internal workings are signified through the externalised network of pipes clinging to its surface.
As the city bustles below, the golden ladder leads upwards, encouraging a passing glance to evolve into a visual escape leading up to the sky. Artists: Bianca Faye, Tim Spicer