Title: Turning a tragic page
Orginal link: http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,21396560-3462,00.html
Author: ANGUS HOHENBOKEN
Published date:March 17, 2007 12:00am
BRIGITA Ozolins aims to free the spirit of Australia"s first novelist during the Ten Days on the Island Festival.[/b]


The artist spent yesterday morning furiously writing over the pages of convict author Henry Savery"s first novel [i]Quintus Servinton[/i] before ripping them out and discarding them on the floor of a convict chapel at the Port Arthur Historic Site.

The performance was one of several site-specific art installations previewed at the launch of The Port Arthur Project -- a feature of the Ten Days festival which runs from March 23 until April 1.

The project, described by co-curator Noel Frankham as the largest site-specific installation ever exhibited in Australia, engages Port Arthur"s history and culture.

It includes the work of 25 artists who explore the theme of revelation through sculpture, photography, sound sculpture, video, printmaking and performance.

Ozolins hopes her piece, [i]The Truth Shall Make You Free[/i], will release Savery from his past.

The title is the phrase she scrawls across his book"s pages.

"He had a tragic sort of life," she said. "He was born in a well-to-do family but turned into a bit of a Christopher Skase.

"He was transported to Van Diemens Land for forgery."

It was here the convict penned Australia"s first novel, the 400-page [i]Quintus Servinton[/i].



Artists involved in the project immersed themselves in the site"s history.

Sculptural artist Colin Langridge was inspired by the site"s boat-building heritage in his creation of [i]Aspiration[/i], a clinker-built dingy crammed in a cell in the Separate Prison.

He said the boat represented the dreams of an imaginary convict to escape in the subject of his labor.

Photographer Anne MacDonald spent four days on the infamous Isle of the Dead, catching the first ferry to the island each morning and making sure she didn"t miss the last.

"I do believe in ghosts," she said.

The Port Arthur Project will extend beyond the Ten Days on the Island dates, running from today until April 15 and will be open from 8.30am to dusk daily.

The boat sounds like an interesting one.. wouldnt mind seeing that
if anyone goes down that way, be sure to take some snaps (if your allowed of course)