Gary Carsley and Renjie Teoh want the public to send them locations and photographs of the red flowering tree (ideally coupled with a flowering jacaranda) and will sift through the images like searching for a needle in a haystack for their latest project.

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The pair, who "collude" as the ARThitects, are working on an optical illusion which will transform the four blank walls of the main exhibition space at Wollongong Art Gallery (WAG).

"There will be these characteristic scenes from the region as though they are windows and doors looking out," said Carsley.

Any tree that is used in the exhibition will transcribe to a $100 spotters fee paid to the person who alerted them.

Teoh will use his architectural skills to draw up two dimensional plans of their "pavilion", which will be formed by printing off hundreds of A4 sheets of paper and then wallpapering them to the walls.

It is a very inexpensive way of creating a large art installation as opposed to constructing an actual pavilion, Carsley said.

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The design will involve key scenes from the area, strategically placed furniture, plus photographs of Asian art and antiquities from the WAG's own Mann-Tatlow Collection, and will give the effect of being in a bigger space with extra corridors and walkways, windows and more.

The ARThitects' forthcoming exhibition The Illawarra Pavilion will open at the Wollongong Art Gallery in early 2022.

Email location and photographs of flame trees to thearthitects@thearthitects.org or text to 0404 699 051.

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