COOPED up in her magnificent 19th century “office”, artist and researcher Amy Tsilemanis loves nothing more than researching Ballarat’s antique advertising signs and brochures.
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Based in the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute library, Tsilemanis’ goal is to bring “old things to life in creative ways”. She is currently working on a project about the city’s “ghost advertising” on the sides of buildings – faded ads from the past.
“Ghost signs are sometimes a misleading title but they’re those faded traces you see around the city which refer to old businesses,” she said.
“The most famous one known around town is Ballarat Bertie.
“There are lots of beauties.”
Tsilemanis said she was working on a smartphone app called Ballarat Revealed, creating new content showing users what the original advertising looked like.
The new content will be launched as part of the Ballarat Heritage Weekend on May 7 and 8 and will be an addition to the current technology showing what the city’s original buildings looked like.
Tsilemanis said her favourite ghost ad was for a signwriter on the back of the Fernwood Fitness gym.
Curious about who the signwriter was, her researcher led her to an individual who had been a significant part of Ballarat, often creating signs for big clients like Her Majesty’s Theatre.
“I think in Ballarat we’re surrounded by beautiful history and buildings but maybe we’re not so aware of all the things that exist underneath,” she said.
“A project like this invites people in form a very physical, visual point to really dig deeper about all the people behind the city.”
Tsilemanis identified Ballarat’s historic advertising brochures as an element that inspired her in her work.
“I love these old brochures and booklets about Ballarat,” she said.
“(Books like) Ballarat and District 1901 goes through all of the businesses and lists all the beautiful photographs. You can open it to any page and see this amazing typograhy and printing to showcase the city.”
Find out more about Ballarat Revealed by visiting www.ballaratrevealed.com
Tsilemanis is the latest addition to The Courier’s What’s Art Got to do With It? video project. To find out more, visit www.thecourier.com.au/news/whats-art-got-to-do-with-it