The Keeper:

A slow, durational artwork centred around a public position passed hand to hand, month to month, reshaped by each person who holds it. Keepers act as witnesses, collectors, and quiet instigators, creating public rituals that invite attention, generate curiosity, and surface overlooked stories. They become local archivists of the everyday, attuned to the textures, gestures, and details in their physical and social environment.

Each day, the Keeper adds to a public log, a living, online archive of encounters and insights. Part field diary, part community chronicle the project traces an ongoing portrait of unique places and times.

Conceived and initiated by Jason Maling (Strange Engine) in collaboration with Sunshine Coast Council, Red Chair, and a network of local artists, The Keeper began in Coolum (Queensland) after a 2019 pilot and unfolded there over two years. It has now migrated across the region: Nambour (2024), Caloundra (2025), and Maroochydore (2026).