Compass 2023 is a simple steel line-drawing sculptural based on the navigation pillars of North, South, East and West. Placed with these orientations in mind, the smallest semi-circle points due North. The structures have also been developed to echo freeway off-ramps and turning circles. Placed to produce a parallactic effect, the arcs create a visual conundrum at certain vantage points, and the viewer doesn't know which way the arcs face.

Utilising spatial and material conundrums, Johns-Messenger’s work creates a chasm between what we think we know and what we perceive, hoping to heighten an awareness. The fundamental implication here is that we all play a role in authoring our world.

Image: Natasha Johns-Messenger, Compass 2023 (detail), powder-coated steel, 1400 x 400 x 400 cm, Southern Way McClelland Commission, Peninsula Link Freeway, Melbourne.