By Derek Schlennstedt
Even as we dream of shiny new futures, many of us are captivated by images of crumbling buildings — old mansions that have faded from use and been reclaimed by nature, houses that will never again serve as homes.
For 20 years, the lifeless form of Burnham Beeches has cast a silent shadow over the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens.
Its silence has only increased its looming presence and nearly every resident of the hills has looked up at its crumbling paint work and wondered what resides inside.
For the next six weeks, as part of an exhibition by Melbourne Artist Rone, Burnham Beeches is open to the public, and as soon as you walk inside that colossal wreck there’s an air of artful decay and an unexpected beauty that welcomes you.
Behind the craftily draped cobwebs, moth-eaten furniture, dust-strewn rugs, and staged tableaux of antiques sit portraits by Melbourne street artist Rone.
The resulting exhibition is an eerie and profound experience, with beauty seeping through the broken glass and dust it is a stark reminder of what used to be.
Rone has transformed 12 rooms with interior stylist Carly Spooner, who helped find 500 antiques to fill the space. This is accompanied by haunting soundscapes from Nick Batterham, which include ambient sounds recorded at the site, as well as floral installations that mimic nature taking over the site.
“What we’re trying to do is tell a more personal story, once you start to look around you feel like you’re in someone’s personal space and really feel that loss,” Rone said.
The exhibition has been 12 months in the making, and for many residents the chance to look inside has been a dream-come-true, with many reduced to tears.
“It’s a childhood dream come true,” said Wendy Worrell from Tecoma.
“I’ve lived here all my life and this was always a mansion that sat there and I always wanted to come in and have a look … this is amazing, words just fail me, the entire atmosphere is unbelievable.”
Speaking to the Mail, Rone said he was overwhelmed by the response.
“It’s amazing to see that we’re connecting with people on such a deep and emotional level, as you don’t always get that with a flat painting on a wall,” he said.
“It’s unique in that it has sound and smell and the atmosphere of the building surrounds your whole body and you become very much a part of that environment.”
The exhibition will go for another six weeks and is the last opportunity to see the mansion in all its haunting opulent glory before it is redeveloped by Chef Shannon Bennett.
For tickets go to: https://tickets.r-o-n-e.com/
