Artist: Jason Waterhouse
Year: 2018
Location: Below the Melton Highway railway overpass, Sydenham
In an effort to make commuting safer and less delayed, the state of Victoria embarked on a massive infrastructure project of removing the most dangerous level crossings all around the state. As part of this project the delivering body, the Level Crossing Removal Authority partnered with Brimbank City Council to deliver an artwork at the site of the old level crossing on the Melton Highway.
In this work, Levelled Crossing, artist Jason Waterhouse re-instates the boom gates with a fair measure of good humour. Sited back in their original location, now under the Melton Highway, Levelled Crossing makes an ironic statement about site histories, urban development and redundancy through playful sculptural intervention. Waterhouse has knotted the boom gate ends.
With a humorous glint in the eye and a little wink, Levelled Crossing reminds commuters of the soon to be nostalgic inconvenience of clanging bells and impatiently waiting for the boom to rise.