Curios Collection
Poetry films
Developed for Poetry Sydney’s Vessels of Love: love in transmission, our 2025 short film collection features seven remarkable artists whose work transcends geographical and cultural boundaries: Natalia Treviño, Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad, Neha Kale, Josh Stenberg, Clarita Derwent, Teena McCarthy, and Djon Mundine.
With the thematic prompt ‘home is where the heart is’, our artists mapped the emotional geography of transnational identity. Their stories unfold across poetry, film, music and visual art—each piece a vessel carrying memory, culture and connection across distance and time.
PRESENTATION
The Salons’ short film collections are adaptable to a range of viewing experiences, both private and public, small and large scale, including
flatscreen monitors with headphones
large scale projection screen, indoor and outdoor
TECHNICAL
Duration: 21 minutes
Format: mp4, available in full HD and 2K, DCP available on request
ACCESSIBILITY
Subtitles and English translations embedded as appropriate.
The Poem Phone
A vintage handset connecting callers, not to another person, but to intimate artistic experiences.
With a simple dial, visitors might hear a poem whispered from another continent, a song bridging cultural divides, or a story that feels like it was written just for them.
TECHNICAL
Hardware: rotary telephone, USB cable with 240v adapter, A3 framed instruction poster
Software: internal SD card for audio files in mp3 format
Dimensions: W 20cm H 12cm D 20cm
Power: 1 x 240V power outlet
Branding: customised label available
PLACEMENT
The Poem Phone is suitable for indoor or undercover use, best placed in a low traffic area, such as an under-utilised alcove or corner, a booth or on a table, bar or bookshelf.
The Poem Phone can be used from a seated or standing position according to installation.
OPERATION
Patrons: instructions are provided in a free-standing A3 framed poster beside the phone
Venue: operational instructions provided during installation
A visual constellation
An exhibition of objects filled with memories, ephemera from artists’ lives, and carefully curated artifacts create a physical map of poetic landscapes.
This installation transforms blank walls into living, breathing stories.
TECHNICAL
Hardware: varied number of small artworks, objects, keepsakes
Space: each exhibition is unique, purposefully curated in consultation with the venue, and tailored to the available space
PLACEMENT
All curations are suitable for window galleries and indoor spaces, outdoor exhibitions are also feasible.
INSTALLATION
Reusable materials and non-destructive techniques, including
D-rings and wire, if hanging system or hooks are in situ
magnetic bullets and plates
tables, plinths and floorspace
freestanding flats