Colourful, tiled artworks inspired by Sydney icons now frame three fire exits in city centrelaneways, following the installation of In Through the Out Doorby artist Callum Morton. The intricate tile patterns are the latest addition to the City of Sydney’s City Art collection, lighting up doorways in Market Row and Mullins Street. The striking motifs are inspired by landmarks familiar to Sydneysiders, including the geometry of the Sydney Opera House’s exterior shells, the floor of the Queen Victoria Building, Sol LeWitt’s mural in the foyer of Australia Square and the beaming rays of the infamous Luna Park entrance. Internationally renowned artist Callum Morton lives in Melbourne and is best known for his installations and sculptures inspired by architecture and the built environment. 

“Each door is specifically designed using a range of patterns I collected as I moved through the city, collapsed and reassembled as a new design. Hidden laneways can be spaces to observe the overlooked and unadorned fabric of city life.” Morton commented “They are the place of fire escapes, service access and rubbish collection, workers taking breaks, out-of-the-way cafes, and those among us who are looking for a temporary sanctuary. In Through the Out Door reimagines fire exits as grander entrances and creates a dialogue between different patterns in the city recontextualised in these laneways.”  The artwork was selected following a competitive call-out to local and international artists for ideas.  “Colours and patterns are such a clever way to breathe life into laneways, a find for people exploring forgotten pockets of the city centre,” Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO commented “Nestled between Clarence and York streets, these works probe an unconscious memory of familiar icons across the city. In Through the Out Door swaps laneway grit for colour and sparkle, making the ordinary extraordinary.”  The new artwork is part of the City of Sydney’s transformation of the city centre including major public domain upgrades and the pedestrianisation of George Street. The public artcomponent is curated by Barbara Flynn.