FLASH FROGS!
The presence of multiple frog species in the wetland environs of Wyndham indicates ecological balance and wellbeing. We took this as a positive symbol to celebrate living in this place. ‘Flash mobs’ have become a well-known form of fun and surprising creative expression-a group of people turning up unannounced in a public place and doing a synchronised action or dance. So… Flash Frogs was a group of Years 2 & 3 kids dressed as frogs arriving at three sites around Wyndham and surprising pedestrians by performing an energetic leaping dance to music, to celebrate living here and promoting a positive sense of place identity. Gretel Taylor choreographed and taught the frog dance (to 'Popcorn' by Hot Butter) to Southern Cross Primary students and orchestrated the site-based performances.
Flash Frogs was the arts component of ‘Growing Together’, the Gardening and Healthy Eating Program to create a sustainable vegetable garden at Our Lady of the Southern Cross Primary School, which was delivered by Shoestring Gardening, The Smith Family and McCaughey VicHealth Community Wellbeing Unit, University of Melbourne, in Term 1 2015. The project was supported by a City of Wyndham ‘Healthy Together’ grant.
Flash Frogs was an Art and About project as part of ARC Discovery research 'Challenging Stigma' led by sociologist Deborah Warr through Centre for Health Equity, University of Melbourne. Gretel was employed as Artist/Research Fellow from 2014-17 and evolved a site-responsive social practice approach to challenge place-based stigma, develop a sense of belonging and inclusion within neighbourhoods and present nuanced perspectives of a place to outside audiences. Gretel had long-term residencies in Wyndham (Victoria) and Hobart, in which she engaged groups of residents in Art and About projects reflecting upon their neighbourhoods and creating collaborative artistic outcomes.
Photos by Rahima Hayes
Flash Frogs was the arts component of ‘Growing Together’, the Gardening and Healthy Eating Program to create a sustainable vegetable garden at Our Lady of the Southern Cross Primary School, which was delivered by Shoestring Gardening, The Smith Family and McCaughey VicHealth Community Wellbeing Unit, University of Melbourne, in Term 1 2015. The project was supported by a City of Wyndham ‘Healthy Together’ grant.
Flash Frogs was an Art and About project as part of ARC Discovery research 'Challenging Stigma' led by sociologist Deborah Warr through Centre for Health Equity, University of Melbourne. Gretel was employed as Artist/Research Fellow from 2014-17 and evolved a site-responsive social practice approach to challenge place-based stigma, develop a sense of belonging and inclusion within neighbourhoods and present nuanced perspectives of a place to outside audiences. Gretel had long-term residencies in Wyndham (Victoria) and Hobart, in which she engaged groups of residents in Art and About projects reflecting upon their neighbourhoods and creating collaborative artistic outcomes.
Photos by Rahima Hayes