Find these amazing sculptures hidden in plain sight
SCULPTURE by the Sea might be over, but there’s no shortage of public art hidden in plain sight around Sydney. Here are some gems worth discovering.
Southern Courier
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SCULPTURE by the Sea has wrapped up for another year but Sydney’s southeast still has plenty of spectacular public art to appreciate.
From the University of New South Wales’ extensive collection of outdoor sculptures to a zoo of stone animals in Botany, the Southern Courier has picked out a few pieces well worth a visit.
Maroubra sculptor Eileen Slarke has carved out a permanent exhibition along the coast, after becoming the first female sculptor in 150 years to be commissioned by Randwick Council.
Slarke has bronze pieces at Coogee, Wylie’s Baths and at Little Bay.
Another pre-eminent Australian artist is also heavily represent in the area.
Tom Bass’ work can be found at public institutions across Australia, including the University of New South Wales where there are three pieces.
His work is accompanied by 12 other pieces by other sculptors to form the university’s sculpture walk.
Meanwhile, Bayside Mayor Bill Saravinovski has put forward a proposal to create a new $50,000 sculpture award.
The award will accompany the Bayside Arts Festival in 2018, “to take the exhibition to the next level and have it recognised as a significant event in the arts calendar.”
An arts festival has been held on the shores of Botany Bay for the last six years, with a significant element of the month long celebration being the Sculpture By The Bay exhibition on the waterfront at Kyeemach.
The exhibition has grown and last year included 26 individual entries. Small prizes have been awarded, including a People’s Choice Award.
Now, the council seeks to acquire a new piece through the venture.
Elsewhere, you can take a self-guided tour along Anzac Pde in Kensington and Kingsford — the homes of a new public art program by Transport for NSW.
ArtMoves is aimed at transforming the streets in a positive way, while the Southeast Light Rail construction is underway.
Five sites were identified to host the public installations that will remain in place until February.
To learn about ArtMoves head to mysydneycbd.nsw.gov.au
Impressionists’ Seat
NEXT time you walk past the oversized bronze chair at Coogee Beach, don’t just clamour up to sit on it, stop and look through the cutouts in the back of the chair.
Eileen Slarke’s Impressionists’ Seat draws inspiration from Tom Roberts and Charles Conder, two impressionist painters who regularly painted landscapes at Coogee Beach.
“On Easter Sunday 1888 the two took a tram from the city out to Coogee Beach and together got out and painted what they could see,” Slarke said.
“I designed the seat so when you stand behind it and look at these negative spaces, you see exactly what the artists painted.
“It commemorates this historic event in Australian art.”
Slarke, 82, has two other bronze works along the east coast.
He first depicts Mina Wylie outside Wylie’s Baths (inset) and her latest is a Christo-inspired work that sits overlooking Little Bay.
The Impressionist’s Seat was born from a miniature Slarke entered into the Sculpture by the Sea in 2005. It was a mere 11 x 24 x 7 centimetres.
Randwick Council took a shine to it and committed $42,000 so Slarke could construct a permanent version out of bronze at Goldstein Reserve.
“Bronze is forever,” Slarke said.
“When the waves come up and cover it one day it will still be there.”
Fountain Figure
The University of New South Wales is home to an impressive public sculpture collection and even supports a self-guided sculpture walk.
In 1955 the first sculpture Falconer, by Tom Bass, was installed.
Founding Vice Chancellor Professor Philip Baxter began to incorporate art into the university’s built environment to lift the spirit of students.
Bass’ 1959 Fountain figure, is perhaps the most popular work in the university’s art collection. It is located in the Chancellor’s Court.
A single reclining nude rests dreamily on one elbow beside a small pool while water trickles from a shell in her outstretched hand into a bronze dish.
Bass was one of Australia’s most venerated sculptors, his work spanning more than 60 years.
Duck Pond Interpretation Maze
The Duck Sculpture at Centennial Park is part of the Duck Pond Interpretation Maze, an award-winning sculpture created from recycled sandstone, gravel, steel and timbers.
Designed by Jane Cavanough it won the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects award for design Rehabilitation and Infrastructure in 1998.
The weathervane birds are accompanied by forged steel reeds and a sign frame based on the shape of a swan profile.
Cavanough said the intent of the wetland interpretative trail was to educate park users about the habitat of the ponds and surrounding landscape.
The water feature also delivers visual and audio effects to accompany the curved inlaid walls and bronze handrails.
Stone Zoo
A “pleasure garden” in Botany was once home to an elephant, a Bengal tiger, gorillas and bears, as well as local wildlife.
During the 1840s merchant William Beaumont and James Waller created a zoo on the site of the former Sir Joseph Banks Hotel. It was hugely popular with colonial Australians.
Today, the Sir Joseph Banks Park contains 16 stone sculptures dotted around the gardens of the various animals that once lived there.
The commemoratory pieces, by William Rees, are life-size sculptures made in cement fondue of an elephant, camels, a bear, gorillas, tigers and horse heads.
There are also three topiary elephants which integrate with the local flora.
Mr Rees was commissioned in 1988 for the council’s Bicentenary project.
Sculpture captures lightning
The 28-hectare park continues to be a drawcard since it was opened.
Ponds have also been created in the park swales, providing valuable habitat for native birds and other wildlife.
The best entrance to access the Pleasure Gardens is Waratah Rd. Parking is available via Tupia St and Fremlin St.