Five Minutes with James Dive from The Glue Society

We catch up with Dive to find out what’s in store.

Your new artwork, Make A Wish, will be on display throughout November at Barangaroo’s The Cutaway. What can visitors expect?

Make A Wish is a funfair ride that never stops. To adults it is fearful, to kids it is wonderful. The work celebrates this lack of fear, an enviable naivety that comes from being young. The work is comprised of a full-scale fairground ride in full flight, standing at approximately five metres tall and 25 metres wide, and has been modified to replace its 12 seats with giant white cubes that hurtle around, complete with large, googly eyes.

How exciting is it to be working in a space that’s so new but right in the middle of Sydney?

Creating The Cutaway under Barangaroo’s Headland Park was an absolute masterstroke, and I’m thrilled to be part of the first few steps of this significant new cultural space. The potential of this unique subterranean space is enormous and will continue to both inspire and intimidate artists for years to come.

What’s the mission statement behind The Glue Society art collective you’re a part of?

This year we’ve been an independent creative collective of writers, designers, directors and artists for 18 years. Personally, I think our biggest success has been that we have remained hard to define. Being ill-defined has allowed us to work across multiple disciplines including art, design, theatre and film.

Is the main aim of your public art to be inclusive, challenging, impressive, or something else?

Public art allows you to interrupt someone’s day with art. And that is why it appeals to me. I’d rather my art bump into someone who was on their way to a bus, to have an unexpected union. My last public work, titled Us, did exactly that. The work was a temporary outdoor photo studio out the front of the Queen Victoria Building. People passing by were invited to be part of a formal group photo with fellow strangers. The work photographed 6,435 people over 17 days. I’ve been told it even resulted in a recent marriage.

Public art seems to be becoming more and more visible at exhibitions, festivals and openings. Are emerging artists now getting the support they need?

As our lives get increasingly connected, I think there is growing desire for tangible experiences. Festivals and exhibitions are taking note, which will make more opportunities for more artists.

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