The Aerial Lab
Gavin Smith
The Aerial Lab was founded in the late ’90s by a rare and eclectic core of artists and technicians to research and develop aerial rigging concepts and performances. It inspired the creation of a new artistic syllabus and methodologies for traditional and contemporary circus performers and technicians to adopt as well as stunt performers and riggers all of whom benefited well from our work, dreams and efforts.
Many of today’s great performers grew out of The Aerial Lab and we have taken this moveable feast of dynamic art to design and build studios across the world and in remote rural Australian towns. We have the portability to set up our own unique design aerial rig to teach and invite any young inspiring acrobat and action skilled artist to come and learn, teach and train.
Between 1999 and 2006 we had over 400 square metres of floor space with a 15-metre roof height to create our benchmark rigging facility, all the efforts of those who came to train and help create did so out of a passion for the aerial arts. We had a strong sense of community and we welcomed all who came through our doors.
“Many of today’s great performers grew out of The Aerial Lab”
We were very fortunate to have such a great space and be given the opportunity and support from key arts companies in Sydney, in particular Belvoir Street Theatre and the construction departments of every major feature film that used the adjacent railway carriage works, donating building materials and equipment for us to build a double sprung wooden floor, an Olympic sized trampoline, a full three catchers flying trapeze, over 20 lower-able rigging points, a dedicated swinging rig for swinging trapeze, cloud-swing and flying pole as well as allowing for the research and creative development of many new apparatus and acts that we developed over the years. Not one dollar of Government funding went into The Aerial Lab, it was all done by us for us.
Apparatus and acts such as the Axis of Ecstasy, Triple Flying Cloud-swing, Bungy harness, multi-point hoist flying systems and so many others in a catalogue of over 100 designs and equipment, acts and rigging systems.
Sadly, this part of Sydney Art culture was taken away to make way for a mainstream art venue, what they didn’t take away was our resilience and ability and skill to thrill. Today you can thank The Aerial Lab for the inspiration and proliferation of Aerial Arts today
The groundwork that went into the creation of this studio set in motion Aero Motion as it is today. Get in touch with us to have our unique designers and engineers assess your proposal and put in place the safest and efficient rigging systems available anywhere in the world today.