The Avoca Project

Swedish musician and audio visual-artist, Carl Michael von Hausswolff, will visit Australia in March 2010 to take up a residency at the Avoca Project. He has worked internationally as a conceptual artist for many years and he also has a vast musical audience for his compositions. In 2002, he received the Prix Ars Electronica for digital music. He has represented Sweden at the Venice Biennale 3 times. He was featured in the New York Times for his unofficial collaboration with Lief Elggren, in which they “annexed” Venice’s Island of the Dead at the Venice Biennale in 2007.

Hausswolff will excite audiences with a public performance/installation at Watford House for the Avoca Project on Saturday 13th March. Food and drink will be provided. Open from 6.30 pm. Performance at 8.30 pm

Jane Prophet is a British artist whose artworks reflect her interest in science, technology and landscape. The artworks themselves appear as installations, digital prints and objects. For example, Technosphere, inspired by complexity theory, landscape and artificial life, is an award winning website. In 2007 Jane became a Professor in interdisciplinary research in the Computing Department at Goldsmiths College, London

During her month long residency at The Avoca Project, she created and constructed Counterbalance, a large-scale electro-luminescent grid across the landscape whose changing levels alluded to past flood levels that the Swiss House has survived on its current site.

This inaugural international residency for The Avoca Project was sponsored by the School of Creative Media at RMIT University.

Summary of hosting requirements

This is a summary only: detailed guidelines can be found at: http://www.wwoof.com.au/WWOOF_host_info.html

• WWOOFers not cheap labour – should be treated as part of the family
• Should be involved in organics in some way, growing or producing organic products
• WWOOFers MUST NOT use man-made chemicals/fertilizers but approved organic alternatives are acceptable. engaging in a mutual cultural exchange
• Anyone over the age of 17 can join WWOOF
• WWOOF Hosts provide all food and clean, comfortable accommodation to travellers and students in exchange for between 4 and 6 hours of work per day. This work can include everything from gardening and landscaping to animal care and property maintenance.
• The minimum stay is 2 nights (to prevent people turning up, eating and sleeping, then leaving the next morning) the maximum stay is up to the Host and the WWOOFer. We have heard of WWOOFers staying for more than a year!
• The initial cost to join WWOOF as a Host farm is $50.00*, after 12 months you will be sent a tax invoice for the yearly renewal fee of $45.00* (concession $30.00*).
• Long term commitment
• Required to write an accurate propeerty and job description about what the Avoca Project is offering WWOOFers, up to approximately 100 words.

WWOOF is operated by Wwoof Pty Ltd, (A.C.N. 085-920-690)
2166 Gelantipy Road, W Tree via Buchan, Vic 3885 Australia
Phone (03) 5155-0218 Fax (03) 5155-0342
wwoof@wwoof.com.au

The Swiss House was built in the 1850s, it was imported from Europe perhps Switzerland, perhaps Germany, with every piece numbered. It was originally erected in High Street next to the Avoca Hotel. In 1870, it was moved on red gum rollers by bullocks down to its present site near the river.

Photograph by John T. Collins 1907-2001

Photograph by John T. Collins 1907-2001