Updated September 15, 2017 13:19:52

Photo: The adult-sized see-saws are among hundreds of projects for the 2017 Melbourne Fringe Festival. (ABC News: Margaret Paul)

A field of talking see-saws has sprung up in central Melbourne, as part of the city's annual Fringe Festival.

The six adult-sized see-saws are fitted with microphones in the handlebars and automatically respond with programmed responses, depending on certain key words.

The installation by artist Madeleine Flynn is called Pivot and is like a playground version of a "virtual assistant" such as Siri.

"The idea is about engendering a sense of play, a situation that's engendering a dialogue," Ms Flynn said.

The see-saws also respond with their own questions, including; "What's bringing you down, apart from me repeatedly?" and "Does life seem precarious or not precarious?"

Photo: The see-saws are fitted with microphones and speakers. (ABC News: Margaret Paul)

The public art installation is one of 440 projects in the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

The festival's creative director, Simon Abrahams, said there was an element of risk with encouraging members of the public to play on see-saws, but that is what the festival is all about.

"Fringe is about that idea of anyone being able to be part of art."

"I love that anyone can jump on these see-saws and talk to it and have a conversation about democracy."

Pivot is at Federation Square until October 1.

Photo: Melbourne Fringe Festival creative director Simon Abrahams gets into the swing of things. (ABC News: Margaret Paul)

Topics: arts-and-entertainment, carnivals-and-festivals, street-art, melbourne-3000, vic

First posted September 15, 2017 06:21:44