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  • Longreach

    August 26, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    A short stop at Longreach to top up the drinking water supply and shop for the next 3 weeks ahead.

    There will be no shops for the next part of the trip. After shopping we had coffee and lunch before heading south to Stonehenge.

    ** Main Photo **

    "I remember the various artworks at expo 88. It was a big deal and I had season tickets to visit any time during the 6 months it was running. Even with season tickets and over 60 visits, I did not see everything in detail. The street performers were memorable.

    Rob. "

    THE DROVERS JOHN UNDERWOOD

    **Text from plaque **
    "THE DROVERS", ALSO KNOWN AS "AROUND THE CAMP FIRE" IS ONE ARTWORK FROM A LARGER SERIES OF APPROXIMATELY 50 ARTWORKS TITLED "THE HUMAN FACTOR" THAT WERE COMMISSIONED FOR WORLD EXPO '88 IN BRISBANE, AN INTERNATIONAL SPECIALISED EXPOSITION HELD AS PART OF BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS IN 1988.

    THE PIECE IS AN EARLY EXAMPLE OF CONTEMPORARY ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC ART AS OFFOSED TO FINE ART SCULPTURAL INSTALLATIONS. THESE RELATABLE, LIFELINE STATUES DELIGHTED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO VISITED WORLD EXPO '88 AND SERVED AS A CONTRAST TO THE OTHER, MORE ABSTRACT PIECES COMMISSIONED FOR THE EVENT.

    FOLLOWING EXPO THE DROVERS WERE PURCHASED BY THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT FOR AND DISPLAYED OUTSIDE THE PRIMARY INDUSTRIES BY THE TRIES BUILDING ON ANN STREET, BRISBANE. IT WAS FOLLOWING THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE THAT THE PIECE WAS GIFTED TO LONGREACH REGIONAL COUNCIL FOR PERMANENT DISPLAY.
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