The Shopping Sherpa: Urban Decay by Joshua Smith

Sunday, December 01, 2019

Urban Decay by Joshua Smith

Back in September last year I took a day trip to Sydney to see Urban Decay, an exhibition of Joshua Smith's models of 'overlooked buildings' that was showing at The Australian Design Centre.

Film image of artist Joshua Smith in the street, looking at the facade of an old building.

Interioe of an art gallery, with a number of miniature buildings on display on plinths.

(No I didn't suddenly grow a beard for the trip: that's a still from the profile video they were playing in the gallery...)

Created in 2017 and 2018, the models are of buildings in Sydney, Adelaide and New York, and all are beautifully detailed in their age, grunge and signage.

Window in a scale model of an old brick commerical building.

The first model I examined was a 1/24 scale model of the facade of the famous Olympia Milk Bar in Stanmore, Sydney, complete with dropped milkshake out the front....

Detail of the decayed frontage of a scale model milk bar, with dropped milkshake on the ground in front.

Detail of a rusty downpipe in a scale model of an old brick commerical building.

Detail of decayed frontage in a scale model of an old brick commerical building.

1/24 scale model facade of an old brick milk bar.

This model of the Midday Munchies Snack Bar in Port Adelaide is also in 1/24 scale:

1/24 scale model snack bar on a plinth in an art gallery,

Detail of the awning of a 1/24 scale model of the Midday Munchies Snack Bar.

Detail of the side wall and awning of a 1/24 scale model of the Midday Munchies Snack Bar.

Detail of the outside walls of a 1/24 scale model of the Midday Munchies Snack Bar.

While this Bodega in Brooklyn, New York is 1/30 scale:

1/24 scale model bodega on a plinth in an art gallery.

Entry and awning of a 1/24 scale model bodega.

Detail of entry and awning of a 1/24 scale model bodega.

Rubbish bin and street pole outside a 1/24 scale model bodega.

Detail of street furniture outside of a 1/24 scale model bodega.

Detail of the front of a 1/24 scale model bodega.

Back to Sydney, there were 1/24 scale facades of the Chinese Ginsengs & Herbs co building in Chinatown,

1/24 scale model facade of an old four-storey commercial building on display in an art gallery,.

Side view of a 1/24 scale model facade of an old four-storey commercial building on display in an art gallery.

Window detail of a 1/24 scale model facade of an old three-storey commercial building with Chinese writing above it.

Detail of the top of a 1/24 scale model facade of an old three-storey commercial building with the date 1921 on the top.

and the Karim Building in Surry Hills.

1/24 scale model facade of an old three-storey commercial building on display in an art gallery.

Detail of the front of a 1/24 scale model facade of an old building with the word "KARIM' above the window and a grafittied 'sold' sign on the wall.

Window detail of a 1/24 scale model facade of an old building.

Detail of the front door and brickwork of a 1/24 scale model facade of an old building.

Finally, there was this 1/24 scale dumpster:

1/24 scale model dumspter filled with rubbish bags and covered with tagging and pasteups.

and roller door:

1/24 scale model rollerdoor covered with tagging on display in an art gallery.

Want to know more? Watch this profile of Joshua that was playing in the gallery:

4 comments :

elbey said...: wow! a blog post from the Shopping Sherpa, wher have you been all year ?; 7:22 am, December 01, 2019
AMCSviatko said...: Unpacking and putting my life back together after my shift :-)

Hopefully there will be at least 30 more posts before the end of the year, including some making (if I remember how...); 8:05 am, December 01, 2019
Sheila said...: Wonderful exhibit. Can't wait to see how this inspired you!; 10:18 am, December 01, 2019
Kathy S. said...: What a great exhibit! I've seen the bodega in pictures. It's so spot on.; 10:27 am, December 01, 2019