Materials: Steel, recovered car bonnets
About the Art
The 1888 Benches, named for the year Alice Springs was first surveyed, operate as both functional seating and a narrative device that “maps” the town through embedded references. Each of the eight benches points to specific locations, stories and geological references - positioning Todd Mall within a broader cultural and environmental landscape.
There are seven benches along this north end of the Mall, placed either side of the road.
You may have noticed the benches looking extra fresh! - In early 2026, they underwent a tidy up, including each getting a fresh lick of paint, as part of Councils public art maintenance.
About the Inspiration
The work draws on early settler and surveying histories - referencing sites such as Arltunga goldfields, Glenn Annie Gorge and early trig stations on surrounding ranges. These layers evoke the colonial processes of measuring, naming and structuring place.
About the Artist
The pieces were designed and built as a collaboration between Elliat Rich and the Centre for Appropriate Technology Ltd.
Elliat Rich is a designer based in Alice Springs, whose practice covers cross cultural resources, exhibition design, public art and furniture and product development. Rich completed a Bachelor of Design at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW in 2006. She launched Elbowrkshp, a studio, retail space, workshop and shared creative space in Alice Springs in 2004.
The Centre for Appropriate Technology Ltd (CAT) is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander not-for-profit science and technology company, with a history of technology innovation and application in remote areas of Australia. The CAT enterprise is staffed by Aboriginal people who are supported to develop skills and extend their career horizons. The 1888 benches project provided employment and experience to local Indigenous apprentices
📷Image / Photo Source: ASTC Photo Archives
📍Todd Mall - Todd St (north end, outside Alice Plaza)