On 4 July 1970 the Corporation of the City of Whyalla came into being and now, fifty years later, Whyalla City Council is marking this significant milestone with month-long celebrations.
As part of the celebrations, a Temporary Museum featuring objects of significance will be popping up at Westlands Shopping Centre from Monday 13 – Saturday 18 July.
Council is inviting residents to contribute items that represent a strong connection with the last fifty years in Whyalla, these items will then be redisplayed within the Temporary Museum as art works and cultural objects.
Items could include personal memorabilia, photos, films, an old gate, a brick, trinkets, glasses – pretty much anything that has a special significance will be considered.
It’s important to note that a Temporary Museum is not a junk space or second-hand shop, but a carefully curated space displaying a series of works as one would in a normal museum set up.
Objects will be hung, placed on stands and the floor with accompanying tags that state the title, year and provenance of the piece, along with the name of the resident.
This is not a static display as the collection of works will grow over the duration of the project on site with unearthed treasures added as they are received.
By generating a unique place of engagement and exchange within the community, the Temporary Museum aims to link the history of objects to the history of the people as it offers and reveals a series of unique values, interests and personal cultural perspectives on the area.
Concurrently, a series of video interviews will be made with residents, collecting the stories that accompany these objects and then screened through our giant camera.
The Temporary Museum will be at Westlands Shopping Centre, between Spendless Shoes and the Surf Shop on Monday 13, Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15 and Friday 17 July from 10:00am – 4:00pm, and Thursday 16 July from 10:00am – 6:00pm.
An official exhibition celebration with the Mayor and Councillors will be held on Saturday 18th July from 10:00am until 1:00 pm.
Further information on Council’s anniversary celebrations can be found here https://bit.ly/2YToS1Y.