I’m watching a Hitachi earthmover bury a suitcase in a mound of dirt inside Carriageworks when my mind peels off on a surreal tangent: does the machine have job satisfaction? I happen to know that another machine on this job has an MOU with its human operator outlining fair work conditions, and I’m wondering if this excavator got the memo.
In fact, the Hitachi just buried the memo: 25 tiles bearing the text of a labour agreement between artist Sophie Penkethman-Young and the 3D printer she used to make them. This weekend, members of the public will dig them up as part of Heap: an unusual mix of exhibition, installation and “archaeological dig” featuring 80 artworks by eight Australian artists, commissioned by the Festival of Dangerous Ideas (Fodi). Taking place in Carriageworks’ cavernous foyer, it’s the centrepiece of a program of panels, performances and screenings inspired by this year’s theme: revelation.
