BITTER BENCH
2012

Bitter Bench was installed in a site where an old Brisbane city tram stop/shelter once was. Several years ago this heritage listed structure, which often sheltered homeless people, was removed in one of the council’s efforts to “clean up the city”. Illegally installed as a retaliation to the removal of the shelter this bench housed a proximity activated audio system playing prerecorded testimonials from homeless people who remember the past structure. The installation also contained a council plaque insinuating the new bench installation was mayor Campbell Newman’s penance to the homeless, yet the bench was articulated in a manner that made it impossible to use.

The installation lasted two days before it was removed.
- Collaboration with Dirtywork