Art Pharmacy Consulting were contacted about an artistic project by co-working and hotel group Kafnu, after being referred by a mutual contact.
Kafnu wanted Art Pharmacy Consulting to create an art narrative for their new co-working space that is part of Dexus’ business park The Mill. The space is innovative in the Sydney market. Kafnu’s design approach is a unique combination of hospitality and co-working design ideals, which echoed the trend of blurring the lines between business and leisure.
Their aim was to develop the physical, social network and harness its power to accelerate the realization of an individual and community’s assets. Art Pharmacy Consulting were to work closely with Kafnu’s design director and their interior designers to develop the vision for the space. We were also to work closely with the on site project managers to manage the implementation and any on-site issues.
As a new player in the Australian coworking business, it was important for Kafnu to create a space with a statement. They wanted Art Pharmacy Consulting to lead a multi layered, experiential art project, which would appeal to those in their new space.
The aim was to demarcate Kafnu Alexandria as a place of discovery and inspiration, where visitors could be engaged through the creativity around them. Each room was to be an experience in of itself, which would make those in the space feel some level of escapism.
Kafnu chose four of the 10 proposed artists to create works over three floors as an overarching art narrative. We curated the designs from the artists, which the client than chose from.
Implementation took place over a week, while construction was being finalised in the Kafnu Alexandria building.
The first work you’ll notice on entering the building is a large, immersive mural on the ground-floor lobby space by Swedish-born artist, Micke Lindebergh who describes his process as “never-ending drawing”. His botanical-themed, colourful mural work started high in the lobby (which he had to complete using a scissor lift). This "creative garden" sprawls through the lobby and connects with further murals on the lift lobbies of upper floors, to provide a sense of continuity. The striking shapes and colours are inspired by the artist’s own travels, and the people and places he encountered along the way. As visitors enter the lift to go to the upper floors, when the doors open they are greeted by a continuation of the work.
Artist number two is Joi Murugavell: a playful artist, who created ‘found moments’ with her hidden and mischievous cartoon creatures. She even got carried away with her creativity, her characters ending up all over the site (cheeky scribbles in the toilets and even hidden in the murals of other artists).
Artist number three - Ingrid Wilson - created beautiful, large-scale abstract, resin-based artwork rounds, featuring calming blues and whites.
Artist number four - James Lesjak-Atton - created two long murals in the accommodation wing, to greet guests outside their guest rooms. The mural was characterised by his exploration of the relationships between shapes, botanical forms and colours.
The finished result was a celebration of unbounded creativity and a world map of experiences, with the hope any visitor, no matter where they are from, feels a sense of homecoming within the walls of Kafnu.