Harvest Festival – I Really Need You Tonight

I was recently commissioned to create a new sculptural work for the Harvest Festival in Melbourne. Whenever I make work for music festivals, I always like it to involve music in some way. The festival organisers were after large works which would have a lot of visual impact, so I thought why not create another huge text piece- a snippet of a song whose meaning could change depending on your mood or perspective, or who you think the message is coming from. Similar to my work, ‘Imagine Me & You, I Do,’ I created ‘I Really Need You Tonight,’ which is an excerpt from the epic tear jerker/interpretive get up on the table and dance starter, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart,’ by Bonnie Tyler.

Its message goes between a mixture of despair and hope, of knowing and uncertainty- I like this play on frailty, especially in the context of a 15,000 strong crowd- whose expectations will mix, whose will meet and whose will falter? I like the thought of the work influencing decisions, or strengthening convictions perhaps- it added a mood of love to the crowd which was uplifting.

I was told by numerous people that they had taken a photo of it and sent it to their partners or friends who weren’t there. Many people kissed in front of it and took their pictures. I heard also of a huge mass sing along, but unfortunately I was watching The Flaming Lips so I didn’t get to see it…I love to make work which promotes togetherness, fleeting moments of joy.

Standing next to it and watching Portishead- who I have been waiting to see for many, many years was a truly moving and wonderful experience. I couldn’t really believe it was happening for a while- standing next to my own work and listening to Glory Box- completely magical. I felt like I knew who I was and that I am really achieving what I want in life, slowly but surely.

Here are some pics, going from the making through to the night. Enjoy.

Many thanks to my prep and install team, without whom none of it would have been possible:

Holly Preston

Sam Woud

Ash Easton

Linus Norman

Tom Hall

Glenn McGrath

Joel Zika

and Mark Godoy- you’re all champions

Photography of the production phase was taken by Sam Woud and the rest were by myself.