Australia A (conditional hope)

Tony Schwensen was a key figure in the '90s Sydney grunge movement and is known for his deadpan, conceptual works that address aspects of identity, masculinity and the suburban experience, as well the physical limits of the (unconditioned) body. Schwensen's sculptural installation 'Australia A (conditional hope)' 1997 is a classic example of the Sydney grunge aesthetic that emerged in the mid 1990s. It humorously approaches the subject of social aspiration as it manifests in the suburban lifestyle, borrowing from the aesthetic of garden centre displays but substituting mass-produced synthetic materials like concrete, Styrofoam and plastic pipe for organic elements.