TRAFFIC CONE SCULPTURE HAS STRONG MESSAGE
A GOLD Coast artist has created a sculpture using 1000 traffic cones to explore the horrific crime of human trafficking.
Ahead of its unveiling at Currumbin’s sculpture festival Swell this weekend, Clayton Blake put the final touches on the 7m tall artwork at Currumbin Special School on Monday to bring to light the plight of millions of people forced in to slavery worldwide.
“For me, art and activism go hand in hand,” he said. “It’s not often you get an opportunity and a public platform to make a difference.
“I’ve wanted to do something with traffic cones for a long time. I started to explore modern day slavery and human trafficking, and there was a connection there.
“I’m pleased it’s going to get people talking.”
The sculpture, called TRAFFICKING, was created in conjunction with The Freedom Project, a human rights organisation that works with trafficking victims in India.
Mr Blake said the most confronting element to the installation is the feeling of imprisonment when standing inside of it.
Last week Mr Blake returned from US arts and culture festival Burning Man where he built a sculpture called Perpetual Consumption, a spiral loop of dozens of shopping trolleys spanning 10m high.
Swell Sculpture Festival is a free event showcasing more than 50 works of art, held on the foreshore of Currumbin Beach from September 14 to 23.