Transit exhibition
November 2006
Span Galleries
45 Flinders Lane
Melbourne, Victoria
Australia

The Transit exhibition is inspired by the stories of Melbourne’s taxi entrepreneurs from Hadchit, North Lebanon.

Research & Process

Transit is a three year project encompassing research, recording and transcribing oral histories, development of process, artistic production, exhibition design and the ever present sourcing of funds. Recording the rich oral histories of Melbourne’s taxi entrepreneurs from Hadchit, North Lebanon and in some cases their families was an integral part of the process. Sourcing a wide array of newspaper articles, industry publications, thesis writings and publications was undertaken to provide a greater socio-economic and political context to the stories. An understanding of the history of Hadchit, the Lebanese migration to Australia, Australia’s ethnic entrepreneurs, Melbourne’s manufacturing industry and the culture of taxi industries locally and internationally was imperative in providing a broad framework to the stories of the taxi entrepreneurs.

Outcome

The Transit body of work proposes to tell stories that explore and question themes of identity, acceptance and popular preconceptions of taxi drivers and Australia’s migrants.

Are we there yet? (2006), an intricately hand-woven beaded sculpture takes the form of a seatcover.  On closer inspection it reveals an abstract numerical graph representing various forms of financial and emotional commitment to Australia.  The work explores perceived identity and questions at what point is one accepted as Australian.

At first glance one is struck by the uniformity of the series of illuminated taxi domelights in the work Your Place (2006), but upon closer observation the names in their Arabic and English variations highlight the individuality of the drivers and their multiple identities. 

The installation Defined by what we dangle? (2006), consisting of a set of two rear-vision mirrors adorned with ornaments such as a football club emblem, rosary, Australian flag etc.. looks at projected identity through familiar codes of acceptance.

While the short digital film entitled Transit (2006) consisting of a series of stories, provide snapshots into a father-daughter relationship and the taxi profession.

Photographer: Andrew Lloyd