An oOh-verwhelming success: Know My Name National Art Event in partnership with oOh!media
Jessi England uncovers just what it takes to get 45 Australian women-identifying artists displayed over oOh!media’s major advertising sites across the country for the National Gallery’s Know My Name initiative.
For six weeks, starting from 24 February, close to 3,000 static and digital locations across metro and regional Australia featured images of works of art by Australian women artists. A highlight of the Know My Name initiative’s first year and the result of a major partnership with oOh!media, the National Art Event brought the work of 45 women (cis, trans) artists from the National Gallery’s collection into the everyday lives of Australians.
‘I can’t wait to see a billboard-sized image of any one of the prints — that’s the architectural scale they were always intended to be! It was prevented at the time by the limitation of resources and support. How great to have this opportunity now to see them large scale!’ — Margaret Worth
From large-scale billboards, to bus shelters, railway stations, shopping centres, office blocks and cafés across the country, the scale of the project on what are traditionally commercial platforms could be likened to the launch of an international blockbuster film.
The 76 works of art featured in the project included images of paintings, works on paper, photographs and sculptures by some of Australia’s most significant artists. From historic works from the 1920s through to contemporary works, the project aimed to increase access to the National Gallery’s collection and to educate the broader public about the contributions of women artists to Australia’s cultural life.
oOh!media is one of the leading media companies in Australia and New Zealand. Its network of physical and digital sites, along with its sister company Junkee Media, offer advertising solutions across a multitude of platforms. oOh!’s Chief Content & Creative Officer Neil Ackland was introduced to the Know My Name initiative in 2019 and has been a huge supporter and advocate for the project since. Seeing the potential for oOh!media to utilise its platforms to support the gender equity conversation and to transform public space through art, Ackland brought together a passionate team to collaborate with the Gallery and to support the delivery of the project across all aspects of oOh!media’s operations.
Works were selected understanding the particular context of the project, knowing that people would unexpectedly encounter the works while they were walking, standing and driving, day and night.
A curatorium including our Director Nick Mitzevich, Natasha Bullock, Assistant Director of Curatorial and Programs, curators across Australian Art and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Art and myself delved into the collection. Works were selected understanding the particular context of the project, knowing that people would unexpectedly encounter the works while they were walking, standing and driving, day and night.
Using the Know My Name creative identity developed by Studio Ongarato as its starting point, the design process was a collaboration between oOh!media’s studio team and a team at the Gallery that aimed to cut through the visual noise of public space and to maximise the focus on the work and names of the artists. Over 300 separate files were designed to take the project across a huge variety of sizes and locations. With the project requiring copyright permissions, communications with artists and their representatives, documentation of collection artworks and editing, it was supported by numerous Gallery departments and staff members.
The National Art Event was launched in Melbourne’s CBD with works by Club Ate, Cherine Fahd, Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori, Fiona Hall, Joy Hester, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Nonggirnga Marawili, Sally Smart, Judy Watson and Margaret Worth, all towering over Bourke and Lonsdale streets.
For two hours on 12 March, Know My Name took over the Macquarie Centre in North Ryde, Sydney. Visitors to the shopping precinct were greeted by Virginia Cuppaidge’s Mist Arena (Cincen) 1971 and could meet the artist and hear her talk about her life and work, while digital screens throughout the Centre were overrun by the work of Know My Name artists.
Originally planned for 1,500 sites, the National Art Event effectively doubled in size as oOh!media and supporters such as Macquarie Centre made additional spaces available.
From major cities all the way across regional Australia, the National Art Event celebrated Australia women artists, taking the work and names of some of Australia’s most significant artists to an estimated 12 million Australians.
And it’s not over yet — although scheduled to end 16 April, a number of large billboard sites have been able to able to remain dedicated to Australian women artists for the coming weeks. The project is also set to continue with more details to come.
Jessi England is the Know My Name Program and Campaign Manager at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
