Most of our Melbourne readers will know it as the ‘Yellow Peril’, its real name Vault scarcely used. It is, in fact, a sculpture commissioned in the 1970s, one so controversial, so disliked that I’m yet to encounter a person who will admit to liking it – so disliked was it that it become something of a political flash point and successive governments have shunted it around the state, hoping to erase everyone’s memory of it.
Melbourne photographer Kelly Defina has, however, achieved what many thought impossible: she has found a use for Vault. More so, working with model Kake Rainey, she has even made it fashionable. Playing to the sculpture’s dominant yellow colouring and geometric lines Defina and co. have found the make-up and clothing to suit, putting modernist clothing in an equally modernist setting to good effect.
Exploring the relationship between fashion and contemporary Australian architecture, and featuring Australian labels such as Aurelio Costarella and Trimapee, you can see the entire photo shoot by clicking on the thumbnails below.
Behind the scenes at the Vault (29 Dec 2010)
