Platform Artists Group Inc. or Platform Contemporary Art Spaces, commonly known as Platform, is one of Australia's longest operating
artist-run initiative
An artist-run space or artist-run centre (Canada) is a gallery or other facility operated or directed by artists, frequently circumventing the structures of public art centers, museums, or commercial galleries and allowing for a more experimental ...
. The organisation develops exhibitions of
visual arts
The visual arts are Art#Forms, genres, media, and styles, art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics (art), ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as ...
by artists from Australia and around the world. Platform primarily consists of 3 separate spaces, all located in and under the busy
Flinders Lane precinct in the heart of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...
city.
Most of the activities of Platform are located in the
Campbell Arcade
Campbell Arcade is a pedestrian arcade located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The arcade is accessible from Flinders Street station and was built in 1955 to ensure crossing between Flinders Street and Melbourne's main train station was safer ...
subway under
Flinders Street in Melbourne.
A pedestrian poll conducted in 2005 by
Connex estimated that more than 35,000 people a week pass through the Platform exhibition sites, making it one of the most visible sites for public art in Melbourne.
Platform provides support for many young artists by enabling them to present solo exhibitions and the organisation often debuts artists to the general public. During its operation, Platform has presented new work from more than 2,500 artists. Many have established successful art careers and have become well-respected professional artists.
History
Founded in 1990 by artists Andrew Seward and Richard Holt,
Platform's first location was a collection of glass display cases in the old
Spencer Street station
Southern Cross railway station (until 2005 known as Spencer Street station) is a major railway station in Docklands, Victoria, Docklands, Melbourne. It is on Spencer Street, Melbourne, Spencer Street, between Collins Street, Melbourne, Collins ...
pedestrian underpass. In 1995, the
City of Melbourne offered the group another underground space, Campbell Arcade, a subway located under Flinders Street and connecting
Flinders Street station to
Degraves Street. Platform expanded the exhibition program into this second space, running group and solo exhibitions at both the city's major train stations.
In 2000, Platform Artists Group further expanded the organisation into a subway shop they named Sticky. Promoting and selling
Artist books
Artists' books (or book arts or book objects) are works of art that utilize the form of the book. They are often published in small editions, though they are sometimes produced as one-of-a-kind objects.
Overview
Artists' books have employed a ...
and
Zines, Sticky has since become an independent organisation and one of Australia's largest sellers of zines, stocking work from the United States, UK, Germany, France, China, Japan and New Zealand.
In 2004, the Spencer Street site was destroyed as part of the redevelopment of the station. Platform continued to deliver a contemporary art program at Campbell Arcade, Flinders Street Station under the new title, Platform Contemporary Art Spaces.
In 2010, Platform marked its 20th Anniversary by publishing the book, ''What Art, Which Public?''.
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References
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External links
Platform Website (2000-2006)
Platform Blog (2006-)
Visit Victoria
Australian artist groups and collectives
Artist-run centres
Arts organizations established in 1990