How good would it be if someone could take away your worries or cares in a simple transaction?
That someone is artist Dan Goronszy aka The Care Taker who will be plonking her chair in Spotswood and Altona North as part of Hobsons Bay’s Art in Public Places this month.
She is inviting people to pull up the chair next to her and unburden themselves of a care.
Goronszy writes down the care and provides a receipt to complete the transfer.
The masters student at RMIT said she got the idea from a chance discovery on campus.
“There’s a little old laneway as part of the campus that holds the old city morgue and just down from that is this sign painted on the wall that says, ‘Caretaker, press to ring’, and then there’s a really old red button,” she said.
“I did start thinking, ‘what if you could just press a button and your cares would be taken’.”
Goronszy said the art ritual had become “really special” with some strangers revealing cares that had burdened them for years.
“I am particularly interested in people sharing with me a care that they would like to be free from,” she said.
Some of the anonymous cares will be displayed in public in the interest of sharing and making people feeling less alone.
The Care Taker Is In will be happening in Hudsons Road, Spotswood, from 11am-1pm on September 9, 10, 15 and 17, and at Altona Gate Shopping Centre, Altona North, from 3-6pm on September 9 and 10.
Goya Dmytryshchak
