The Cross Art Projects - REPORT ON KINGS CROSS NEON FORUM  

Kings Cross Neon Precinct

LIGHT UP THE CROSS: AN ARTS VISION IN NEON FOR KINGS CROSS!

About 50 people gathered at The Cross Art Projects, one of Sydney’s contemporary art spaces, on Saturday 28th August to hear artists and advocates speak in a room lit by neon signs and sculptures, watching projected displays which included a history of neon - using archival material supplied by Claude Neon - and studies of public neon art from around the world.  

Councillor PHILLIP BLACK, a heritage expert and chair of council’s cultural committee enthusiastically chaired the forum.

The neon art forum and exhibition is part of a wider backlash from the Cross communities to Sydney City Council's strict new ‘standard signage’ draft Development Controls which would effectively ban neon or flashing external signage.
At the urging of the ART DECO SOCIETY and resident groups 2011 and DRAG, Council commissioned a heritage assessment of illuminated signage in the Cross.

The ‘Assessment of Illuminated Signage: Darlinghurst Road Streetscape Works” prepared by Rob Howard and Associates says that “the present signs continue the 'tradition' of illuminated advertising that has characterised the locality since before World War II.”
While CLOVER MOORE has acted to protect Kings Cross more prominent signs (announcement 30 July 2004), it’s a race against the clock.  Businesses are alarmed at the tiny passive signage they will be limited to, and many residents abhor the uniform dullness.
The local business associations, the Kings Cross Partnership and Cross Business which represents shopfronts and smaller businesses, are petitioning Council for a revision of the rules.

JO HOLDER, convenor of the crisis forum, said in her talk that the first neon sign in Australia had been in Darlinghurst Road Kings Cross in 1929. Her slide show featured the ‘Glittering Mile’ of William Street and Darlinghurst Road and the making of the famous Coke Sign at the top of William Street.

Artist and architect PETER MCGREGOR, who designed the popular light installation in Llankelly Place, Kings Cross, and the Chinatown lights erected for the Olympics, deplored the halting of innovative art in public domain projects and the city Sculpture Walk.

McGregor said the forced council amalgamation and Frank Sartor's adoption of standard ‘gateway designs’ had stopped innovation.

MICHAEL GORMLY, local writer and photographer, argued that turning out the lights would kill the Cross. Gormly said local business wants to reinvigorate and build on what the Cross already is—an entertainment, tourist and red-light Mecca. Business should have incentives to encourage neon design.

ANN STEPHEN, curator of social history at the Powerhouse Museum, spoke about the museum’s preservation of the Golf House animated neon near Central Railway and the giant AWA sign from the AWA tower and the preservation of neons in Melbourne by the state heritage register.

In conclusion convenor, JO HOLDER, argued that as Rod Howard’s report says that illuminated signage is at variance with the proposed city signage DCP, a neon precinct signage strategy must be adopted for Kings Cross.  The policy restricts signage associated with sex industry premises, the most vital and eye catching of the current signs, and places restraints on design. It is the exuberance and lack of restraint in design which contributes to the character of the Cross.
Alternatively, council should embrace the forum’s idea of a special ‘Art and Industry’ visual razzamatazz precinct.

Round table convenors: Loma Bridge, Gavin Harris, Jo Holder

ON-NEON ROUND TABLE

CHAIRS: Cr Phillip Black (chair City of Sydney Cultural Committee) and Jo Holder

ARCHITECTS Clive Lucas, Peter McGregor (Llankelly Place and Chinatown lights) FILMMAKERS John Hewitt ARTISTS Loma Bridge (on Rotorua project), Barbara Campbell (on the work of Neil Roberts), Bronwyn Clarke-Cooley, Peter Fay, Trevor Fry, Ruark Lewis, Eugenia Raskopolis DESIGNERS Twist Creative, Claude Neon Group  POETS & WRITERS, Michael Gormly. Linda Jaivin, Anne Coombes ART HISTORIANS & CURATORS Sally Couacaud (curator, initiated Sydney Sculpture Walk) Kate Davidson (curator, initiated City Exhibition Space), Gavin Harris, Therese Kenyon (resident, director Manly Art Gallery) Ann Stephen (social history curator Powerhouse Museum) AND LOCALS & LOCAL BUSINESS

FORMAT: five invited speakers each gave a 5-7 minute presentation. Then participants gave a brief response. Ideas were communicated to City Council.

ON-NEON EXHIBITION: work by  Neil Roberts, Peter Fay, Trevor Fry, Michael Gormly, Francesca Mataraga, Eugenia Raskopolis, Twist Creative (and others) Exhibition runs 28 AUGUST TO 10 SEPTEMBER.
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Neil Roberts www.neilroberts.com.au
Michael Gormly http://kingscrosstimes.blogspot.com/
Peter McGregor http://www.mwarchitects.com.au