Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood House

CLIENT

Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood House Inc.

PROJECT

To create fun and creative social distancing markers as a direct response to Covid-19. The social distancing markers help with crowd management at the Food Security Program at the Collingwood and Richmond housing towers. The series of photos are of local community members and have been blown up to life sized prints to pass on important messages regarding Covid-19 restrictions.

BANH Inc works closely with culturally diverse communities living on the public housing estates in Richmond and Collingwood. Many vulnerable families have struggled with the isolation and hardship that COVID has challenged us with. BANH Inc use the arts as a tool for effective community engagement and to meet the needs of those most vulnerable. Artificial Studios worked with the team at BANH Inc using photography and building on the strengths of this community to develop some effective social distancing tools that encourages ownership around social distancing.

DELIVERABLES

Eight life sized colourful banners and four paste ups at the Richmond housing towers to create visual markers in a fun and accessible way to convey Covid-19 restrictions and necessary social distancing measures. 

TESTIMONIAL

“Working with Jorge de Araujo from Artificial Studios in response to the COVID 19 restrictions has resulted in some creative and effective outcomes for community. Colourful banners and now developing pasteups has been received well by community who enjoy the reminder about social distancing in such a familiar and creative way. In turn the works stand alone also as beautiful artworks that will be exhibited later in the year at a planned virtual exhibition in our Underground Gallery space.”

Sue Kent
Manager

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health

CLIENT

Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health

PROJECT

The first of its kind in Australia, the 2019 Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System aimed at accelerating improvements in access to mental health services, service navigation and models of care.
The initiative provided an opportunity for a wider community conversation about mental health, with the goal of ending stigma and discrimination. It offered a community a platform to have a say about how the mental health system can be more effective with reform recommendations.

Artificial Studios was engaged to provide video and film coverage of this important once in a generation initiative. A high degree of sensitivity was required for those being interviewed due to the personal sharing of their experiences with mental health being discussed.

Among the important voices the studio captured were former ALF footballer Wayne Schwass and former federal MP Andrew Robb, who talked about their struggle with depression. Wayne gave moving testimony evidence about sitting in his car for hours one day after training, too ashamed to go inside, in case his fiancee saw him crying. "I lived in fear for 12 years”, he said.

DELIVERABLES

• Portraits of the commissioners and community witnesses

• Dozens of high quality short interviews with commissioners, personalities and community witnesses giving their testimony to their experience with the mental health system and what being a witness means to them

• Short call-to-action videos encouraging the public to have their say during the Royal Commission

• Photo coverage of the public hearings at Melbourne's majestic Town Hall

Organ Tissue Authority and Donate Life

CLIENT

Organ Tissue Authority and Donate Life

 PROJECT

With over 1,500 Australians and their families today waiting for an urgent life-saving transplant, DonateLife Week (31 July - 7 August) is a key part of the Australian Government’s national reform program to increase organ and tissue donation and transplantation outcomes.

The campaign encourages Australians to join the Australian Organ Donor Register online, and to share their decision with family and friends.

We photographed twelve selected organ donors, recipients and families of recipients. Photographing at a park and in situ at a hospital with one subject on a dialysis machine, we captured chosen subjects with sensitivity, while engaging interest in their personal stories aimed towards encouraging donation registrations.

DELIVERABLES

The campaign photos featured in billboards, shared on social media using #endthewait #donatelife #makeitcount hashtags and used in various government resources across both DonateLife Week 2016 & 2017 campaigns.

Due to this awareness raising campaign, the number of organ donors and transplant recipients in 2016 was the highest since national records began. 503 deceased organ donors and their families gave 1,447 Australians a new chance in life.

TESTIMONIAL

“Jorge shot a beautiful series of portraits for the DonateLife Weekcampaign. Along with a dedicated team, Jorge was a pleasure to work with; positive and focused while maintaining enthusiasm throughout the day-long shoot. Jorge engaged sensitively with our subjects which included health professionals, transplant recipients and family members of deceased organ donors. He was directed by the brief and our feedback on the day. The result was a set of imagery which featured in a national campaign still circulated today. Jorge comes highly recommended as a professional photographer. I look forward to the opportunity to work with him and Artificial Studios again soon!”

Prue Gildea
Media Communications Advisor at Donate Life Victoria