PROJECT: PARADISE HERO
ARTIST: TESSA BERGAN
PROJECT PARTNERS: UNDERGROUND FESTIVAL, HOTA HOME OF THE ARTS

Paradise Hero teases out the concept of paradise in relation to the site of Surfers Paradise. A montage of video, text and sculptural elements, this immersive artwork literally straps participants into an experiential slice of paradise! Exploring manifold leisure and entertainment offerings in Australia’s tourism capital, the work captures snapshots of the absurdity and meaninglessness that the idea of paradise evokes.

Text and video capture the artist's day trips to the tourist traps lining Cavill Avenue, whilst visually dazzling and deepening the audience's connections with her conceptual concerns. In investigating Surfers Paradise as a constructed space and incongruous place, Paradise Hero asks us to consider the question, ‘Can you be anything other than a tourist in Surfers Paradise?’

A pilot of Paradise Hero premiered at HOTA as part of Underground Festival in 2024. The work was situated in a small screening room and incorporated the entrance ramp leading into it as an integral part of the artwork experience. This lead the audience into the work by incorporating sound bleed, text-based posters and bespoke lighting; a zone where participants queued (and took cues) prior to experiencing the work.