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A gargantuan television set adorned with cut-out, larger-than-life cultural figures including Dolly Parton, has been set up inside the refurbished White Bay Power Station, as the venue prepares to open its doors to the public for the first time in 100 years for the 50th birthday of the Biennale of Sydney.
But just days out from its launch, the Inner West Council says it’s scrambling to organise shuttle bus services for art lovers, after the Environment Protection Authority confirmed delays to the reopening of the Rozelle Parklands, which provide pedestrian access near the Power Station and the light rail station.
Kaylene TV, an artwork by Kaylene Whiskey, is installed inside the White Bay Power Station.Credit: Max Mason-Hubers
Mayor Darcy Byrne said he worried that without additional public transport links from the CBD, the ability of the White Bay Power Station to prove itself as a major arts venue and drawcard could be compromised.
Ninety-six artists and collectives from 50 countries will be represented at the 24th edition of the Biennale of Sydney, Australia’s largest festival of contemporary art.
Making its debut as an arts venue for the Biennale is the once-derelict White Bay Power Station where monumental works of art have been installed and next Friday’s ticketed dance party, Lights On, on March 8, will mark the start of three months of free cultural events across several city venues.
More than $100 million has been invested in White Bay’s restoration and remediation to rid it of asbestos, lead dust, and pigeon droppings, and replace rusting metalwork and broken glass.
Key among the art projects to be unveiled next week for the Biennale’s Ten Thousand Suns is a large-scale portrait by Dylan Mooney of the late Indigenous gay activist Malcolm Cole dressed as Captain Cook rising 16 metres from the first floor of the Boiler Room.
On the ground floor will be the interactive television set by Kaylene Whiskey, the biggest project of her career and her first working with wood, instead of canvas or paper.
“I have made a lot of sculptures, they’re cut-out plywood figures of some of my heroes, like Wonder Woman, Cat Woman, Tina Turner and, of course, Dolly Parton,” she said. “They’re having a party inside a giant TV and the best thing is that the audience can go inside the TV too and join the party! It is like a Kaylene Whiskey painting that you can walk into.