Fenced Out

It was a rather unusual request. Never had I been commissioned to photograph something so, well, boring. Benjamin Cutajar from Ajar Studio reached out to see if I'd be able to put some accompanying images to an interview with architects Matt Eagle and Stuart Peters regarding the perils of the soaring two-metre domestic fence within suburbia and mid-rise residential areas. Sure, I said. This will a breeze, I thought.

I wanted I capture the poetic sensibility of the 'burbs' through the hostility and division that tall, unnecessary suburban fences create. I brought to mind every high fence I'd ever seen and made a plan to spend my time sauntering around the streets of Palm Beach or Burleigh Heads. There were plenty of high fences. But taking nice pictures of ugly things is difficult and the day I'd allocated to finding and photographing soon turned into a few. It was much easier taking pictures of houses with no fences – an additional requirement of the commission to demonstrate the contrast.

As I walked around the Gold Coast searching for these moments I had the memory of Matt Eagle's laconic speech delivered at an event at Tugun's Tom Atkin Hall. "Roads are for cars. Streets are for people."

Get your copy of Ajar Magazine – Issue 3 here.

"As a civic and dynamic place of productivity, the suburbs need permeable, porous boundaries and thresholds. These conditions readily enable the crictical exchange of goods and services, love and friendship, knowledge and experience, comfort and wellbeing."

Ajar Magazine explores themes of art, design, the built environment and cultural discourse with a focus on a regional reflection of creatives practicing on Kombumerri and Bundjalung country.

Issue 3 contributors:

• Aaron Chapman

• Ben Cutajar

• Brandon Lee Shaw

• Chelsea Jewell

• Lineburg Wang

• Matt Eagle

• Public Palace

• Reddog Architects

• Sam Cutajar

• Stuart Vokes & Aaron Peters

• Valeria Bibersova