Finn Duggan and mum Justine created a heart-warming world of fantasy … in an old ice chest.
By Kath Gannaway
RIDING through the sky on a tandem bike with a parachute was a fantasy world shared by Finn Duggan and his mum Justine as part of a unique program “Our Place through the Eyes of a Child”.
The 10-week residency by Polyglot Theatre was part of the Shire of Yarra Ranges’ bushfire recovery program.
Four artists – director Jessica Wilson, visual artist Lisa Franklin and sound artists Tim Humphrey and Madeleine Flynn – worked with parent/child pairs to create installations depicting their fantasy worlds culminating in an exhibition at Healesville’s Memorial Hall on 18 September.
Finn, 10 of Chum Creek said the spending time with his mum and brother Archer, 6, each Saturday morning was the best part of the experience for him.
“It was just fun because I got to play with mum.
His mum agrees. “Definitely the best thing was just spending time with the boys,” she said.
She said the finished installation which recreated their fantasy was amazing.
“It all seemed so chaotic right up to the end, to come in to the hall and have it all looking so professional was a bit surprising, and very pleasing,” she said.
Ms Wilson said the project had also been a wonderful experience for the Polyglot team.
“My sense is that it provided a unique experience for parents to share a constructive, creative process with their kids, and for kids to be able to be playful with their parents,’ the said.
“Those opportunities are not always readily available and so it’s a special thing which will always be relationship-building.”
Ms Wilson said the feedback from visitors to the exhibition was very positive.
“People were really charmed by it … it was very charming,” she said.
“It was quite amazing because it was not a performance but it had that kind of effect on people where they had an emotional response because it was very genuine.”
Ms Wilson said the installations reflected the relationships between parent and child and the commitment of the artists in making it so wonderful.
“The detail and then the atmosphere, the music that brought it to life, and then the use of each person’s body and face made it very moving.”
