Today’s plan involved us visiting Testing Grounds, an outdoor art space for experimental projects, and artsy gatherings. Before that, however, I met up with Nicolette, who I will be working with to complete Assessment 2. We talked about how we might tackle this assessment, and looked up several interesting places that we could explore. Our research led us to think about cat cafés, rooftop gardens, and lanes in Melbourne. The things we came across were pretty entertaining. We haven’t decided on one yet, but we will soon.

Back to Testing Grounds – it was a brilliant experience, as I had never encountered a place such as that before. We met as a class at the Arts Centre, before walking over to Testing Grounds. On the way there, we walked on this bridge from which we could see the entire Testing Grounds site from above.

I remember first looking at it and thinking, “Why are we here? What’s down there? I don’t see a thing.” The place looked somewhat barren, with a couple of wooden boxes artistically positioned in the fenced up space. It looked like a construction site.

As we went down the bridge and into the place, I got to see everything as it really is. The boxes were really crates in which resided beautiful plants still wet and gleaming from today’s slight drizzle. A happy, energetic dog was playfully running about with her bright green toy. There were pastel-coloured doors for the outdoor toilets, a piano under a shed with books randomly atop of it, and a disco ball casually hanging right outside a little hut labeled ‘STUDIO’. All these things were left unnoticed when I was on top of that bridge, and to see everything up close was simply beautiful. 

All this seemed a little surreal; especially just knowing that this place was nestled right next to a busy road, teeming with noise and cars. This place seemed almost like a sanctuary from the bustling outside world.

As we walked back that day, I saw flowers growing out and over the fence, into the space of where the road was. It was nice to see that a little bit of life had found its way to the tough, tar road.