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Acclaimed international artists highlight artifacts from Austin creek in new installation
Get ready to glimpse into Austin's past through a dynamic new art exhibit. Beginning March 2, internationally acclaimed artists Teresa Hubbard and Alexander Birchler will unveil Past Deposits from a Future Yet to Come at Waterloo Greenway's Moody Amphitheater, bringing the city's history to life in an immersive experience.
The visually striking installation incorporates artifacts from as far back as the 1800s that were excavated along Waller Creek. These everyday objects — weathered coins, plates, buttons, marbles — tell stories of everyday Austin residents from eras gone by. They may look different on the walls; In one shot, colorful beads look like they may be celestial bodies.
“Hubbard and Birchler spent more than a year filming the historic artifacts from Waller Creek in incredible detail and expanded to colossal proportions, filling the entire 16-by-120-foot wall of the Moody Amphitheater.” says Waterloo Greenway CEO Jesús Aguirre.
An original score by New York-based composer Alex Weston (who wrote the score for The Farewell) adds to the immersion. This is in keeping with the greenway's frequent art installations and events, which almost always have a musical element. Sometimes it's a live pop performance, and sometimes its ambient and abstract. In this case, it features a very human element.
"The human voice is a particularly important aspect of the score, as the objects in the video are physical reminders of the people who lived and worked along Waller Creek during the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries," says Aguirre.
The Waterloo Greenway is a 35-acre park development underway in downtown Austin, slowly unveiling a network of public spaces. Launching in phases, the project seeks to unite Austinites with nature, art, and each other. A joint venture between the city and the conservancy, it includes a 1.5-mile path with gardens and cultural spots.
The installation aligns with Waterloo Greenway's mission of revitalizing Waller Creek and highlighting the area's rich history. Scheduled to run for five years, Past Deposits will be on display nightly for free public viewing, except during ticketed amphitheater events.
"As we work on the future of Waterloo Greenway and a new parks system, we are always looking for ways to tell the stories of the people who once lived and worked in this area, to connect our future to the past," explains Aguirre.
“Past Deposits” opens to the public on March 2. Visit waterloogreenway.org for the nightly schedule.