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Trojan – Back to the City

University of Newcastle / Newcastle, Australia

Surrogate Trojan, a Back to The City collaboration between:Richard Goodwin, Adrian McGregor and Russell Lowe in Newcastle. When three Greenpeace activists were arrested on 6 December 2006 for blockading the floating dock at Kooragang Island the rest of Australia took notice for a day. They were trying to prevent an international grains trader sneaking 57,000 tonnes of Canadian Genetically Modified [GM] canola seed to its Newcastle plant.

From there it was shifted silently around Australia to produce margarine, mayonnaise, canola oil and animal feed, ultimately ending up on Australia’s dinner tables. As vessels slip silently in and out of the port we give little thought to their hidden cargo. Like the Trojan Horse of antiquity, these surrogate mother ships spawn an invasion to which most of us remain oblivious.

Services

  • Art Installation
  • Public Institution
Black and white portrait of Adrian McGregor, a middle-aged man with short, curly hair wearing a dark blazer over a V-neck shirt. He is facing the camera and smiling slightly against a plain background.
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A person stands inside an open shipping container, illuminated by a light projection on the back wall, with warehouse buildings and industrial structures in the background against a blue evening sky, embodying a modern Trojan spirit as urban life returns Back to the City.
A large shipping container with the word "TROJAN" written on its side is illuminated from within, sitting on a paved area near a waterfront at dusk. The background shows industrial buildings and a calm water body under a deep blue sky, evoking thoughts of heading back to the city.
Four people stand in a small, dimly lit room with corrugated metal walls, facing a projection screen displaying an image. The floor appears to be covered with brown material. The individuals are casually dressed and watching the screen attentively, perhaps discussing their next "Back to the City" initiative.

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