Now is the time, with the rain, hopefully, easing a bit, to get out and discover the artworks that have popped up all over the national capital as part of the Canberra Art Biennial (formerly contour 556).
But, be quick, because the works - 60 artworks or performances by more than 70 artists across 21 venues - will only be on show until October 29.
Originally focused on just Lake Burley Griffin and then affectionately tagged as Sculptures by the Lake, contour 556 started in 2016 as a way to shake up the planned design of the national capital.
Its name then referred to the height above sea level of Lake Burley Griffin.
The 2022 edition sees the festival rebranded as Canberra Art Biennial and expanded to the National Arboretum (contour 656), the University of Canberra (contour 606).
The exhibition has also not left contour 556, with many works around the lake and in the inner north and south.
The contour 606 satellite event is co- curated by University of Canberra staff members Associate Professor Julian Raxworthy, discipline lead of the landscape architecture program. and Ben Ennis-Butler, senior lecturer and Program Core Coordinator, Design.
Neil Hobbs is the creative director for the contour 556 and contour 656 areas, with support from digital producer Heeseon Jung and the contour 556 board.
He was thrilled to see the variety of work across a range of venues.
"It's great to have the other areas, the arboretum and UC as well as the lake and other city areas, and more art and more chance for people to see artworks," he said.
The artists have reacted to Canberra and been inspired by it in often unconventional ways.
They range from Settlement #5, a gate on Northbourne Avenue with "Establishment" and "Treaty" signposts, by Elvis Richardson, to Rainman 1 and 2, by Sian Watson, sculptures that fuse humans and birds, at the Canberra Airport to Adam Norton's fun, old-school Giant Badges on the light posts at the Central Basin of the lake.
"People have seen things in unexpected areas," Mr Hobbs said.
"It's really to capture the layout of the city and its elements and make them different for a little while."
A map showing all the artworks is at contour556.com.au/
