SculpturesAndMonumentsSculptures



== Sculptures, by definition are abstract or figurative works of art. The sculptures in Melbourne CBD are usually present for a purpose, although it may not be recognized most of the time. This is where Samiksha and I come in. We set out to guide fellow readers in understanding the magnificent sculptures of Melbourne's Central Business District. Some are fun, some are tacky and some have a long series of history behind the facade. Please enjoy our display of sculptures! ==

__Sculptures in the City__
**Materials:** Ceramic, steel and concrete **Artist:** Deborah Halpern (1957-now, Australian) **Year Built:** 1988 **Represents:** Crocodiles, fishes, birds, plants, mythical creatures and scrolls **Purpose in the society:** Angel makes the surroundings more lively, adding another person's presence. It is supposed connect the public to the art inside the sculpture through her signature, 'the big face'. - The artwork is around 10 metres tall
 * < [[image:BirrarungMarr010.jpg width="317" height="244" align="center" caption="'Angel' picture taken by Melissa"]] ||< **Angel** **Location:** Birrarung Marr (was once featured in the moat of NGV, 1988-2001)
 * Interesting Facts: **

- The Angel has tiles laid with 4000 individual cuts

- The Angel project was started in 1987 in a huge shed down the docks, Port of Melbourne

- Deborah Halpern always starts off her work with a rough sketch of the sculpture. Then she creates the frame with steel mesh, later spraying it with expanding foam. She then carves out her tile peices and covered it with fibro-glass. Last, the ceramic tiles are stick to the skin.

**Other Artworks by Halpern:** '**Ophelia'** in Southbank, **'Power of communtiy'** in Beauty Park, Frankston || ** Location: ** Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne ** Year Built: ** 1994 -Simon Perry wanted this fresh and new piece of work to be poetical along with the other various reasons. The red granite signifies the interaction between the CBD and people.
 * < [[image:Public_Purse.jpg width="320" height="240"]] || **Public Purse**
 * Materials: ** Calca red granite and stainless steel
 * Artist: ** Simon Perry (1962-now, British)
 * Represents: ** A Giant Purse
 * Purpose in the society: ** The Public Purse is a unique and new seating arrangement that was chosen by the City of Melbourne. The purse reflect the environment in the city, business-like and many shops.Interest
 * Interesting Facts: **


 * Other Artworks by Perry: ** **'Threaded Field'** in front of gate 2 and 7 at Etihad,
 * 'Public Address'** at Federation Square(was there) ||
 * < [[image:SMS-Gardens&Museums104.jpg width="316" height="236"]] ||< **Forward Surge**

**Location:** Melbourne Art Center Lawn, St. Kilda Road **Materials:** Thick steel sculpture painted black. **Artist:** Inge King **Year Built:** 1974 **Represents:** Big, black waves **Purpose in the society:** it is designed to give the feeling that they are surging toward the city in opposition to the tall and vertical buildings in the city. **Interesting Facts:** - It took Inge King two years to complete this artwork. - The small model of this piece(original) was exhibited in the Powell Street Gallery

**Other Artworks** : 'Shearwaters' in Southbank. || **Location:** ACCA forecourt **Materials:** Steel plates that are painte yellow **Artist:** Ron Robertson-Swann **Year Built:** 1980 **Represents:** It represents an abstract design, in an origami like structure **Purpose in the society:** To surprise the public and have something new and modern for peoples eyes to see. **Interesting Facts:** - It originally costed $70,000 and was first sited in 1980 in the old city town square. - As told before the sculpture is supposed to be something new and what Ron Robertson-Swann said was that something new makes a good art.
 * < [[image:SMS-Gardens&Museums064.jpg width="320" height="240"]] ||< **The Vault**

**Other Artworks by Robertson-Swann:** None in Melbourne CBD || **Location:** In front of CML Building on Elizabeth Street **Materials:** Bronze **Artist:** Tom Bass **Year Built:** 1963 **Represents:** Two children, animals and a tree **Purpose in the society:** Children's tree has a sturdy and comfortable bass that tired tourists or buskers can sit on. Most of Tom Bass' works are designed to be sat on. **Interesting facts:** - This sculpture has a boy and girl playing around a tree with an owl, a deep intelegance and myth through their play.
 * < [[image:SMS-Gardens&Museums022.jpg width="212" height="254"]] ||< **Children's Tree**

**Other Artworks by Bass:** **'St Peter Julian Eymard'** St. Patrick's Church
 * 'The Genii'** Queen Victoria Garden ||
 * < [[image:ImmigrationMuseum022.jpg width="207" height="272"]] ||< **Constellation**

**Location:** Yarra Turning Basin, opposite Crown Casino **Materials:** Timber, copper and stainless steel **Artist:** Geoffrey Bartlett, Bruce Armstrong **Year Built:** 1997 **Represents:** The eagle, dragon, man, woman and lion **Purpose in the society:** The five large figures represent the ethnic and culture diversity of the travelers on the ships at the turning basin of the Yarra river during the early years of Melbourne's settlement. Personally, I find them extremely iconic and cute. **Interesting Facts:** - The shape and symmetry of the five sculptures suggestthat the five together form a sail boat. - The centre sculpture displays the prow of the boat.

**Other Artworks by Bartlett and Armstrong:**

Information given in The Eagle and Aurora || **Location:** Melbourne's City Square, Swanston Street **Materials:** Red gum **Artist:** Des Mckenna **Year Built:** 2002 **Represents:** A wombat **Purpose in the society:** Made from red gum fallen in NSW, this sculpture is to represent one of Australia's unique animals. The name'Warin' was later found out that it came from the local dialect of the two most important Aboriginal tribes here in Melbourne. **Interesting Facts:** - Des Mckenna made the wombat on the spot where it is kept now and therefore a man carrying a chainsaw meant safety barriers. The progress of this sculpture was watched by the public safely. - According to research the wombat is the fact that many people enter the City Square.
 * < [[image:SMS-Gardens&Museums004.jpg width="320" height="240"]] ||< **Warin the Wombat**

**Other Artworks by Mckenna:** None in Melbourne CBD ||
 * < [[image:30714677.jpg width="320" height="222"]] ||< **The Bronze Water Children**

**Location:** Queen Victoria Gardens **Materials:** Bronze **Artist:** John Robinson (1935-2007) **Year Built:** 1973 **Represents:** A girl kneeling and a boy flat on his stomach scooping water. **Purpose in the society:** The bronze water children sometimes cause a deja vu on the viewers because they show innocence and complete ignorance despite everything going on around them. **Interesting Facts:** -The bronze water children are naked.

**Other Artworks by Robinson:** **'Bonds of Friendship'** Sydney, **'Acrobats'** Canberra(Not in CBD) ||
 * < [[image:ImmigrationMuseum045.jpg width="320" height="246"]] ||< **Travellers**

**Location:** On Sandridge Bridge **Materials:** Steel, glass **Artist:** Nadim Karam (1957-now, Lebanese) **Year Built:** 2006 **Represents:** Melbourne's multicultural society **Purpose in the society:** It is rather unexpected to find sculptures on top of bridges, well, at least they are steel and blend in to the environment. Travellers remind the passer-bys to be proud of their home country while enjoying the privilege of being a Melbournian. **Interesting Facts:** - Travellers are 10 giant sculpture which are 7.5m tall. - There are 128 glass panels in total running along the bridge. - Nine out of ten sculptures on the bridge represent Australian immigration, from the gold rush periods to today's refuges and specialists. **Other Artworks:** None || ||< **Birrarung Marr** **Location:** Birarrung Marr **Materials:** bronze, steel, rocks, stones, sand (natural elements) **Artist:** Vicki Couzens, Lee Darroch, Treahna Hamm **Year Built:** 2006 **Represents:** Spiritual and physical connection of the Aboriginal people. **Purpose in the society:** The large ancestry rocks that are group in an area prove as a challenging climbing ground whereas the midget rocks along the pathway provide unorthodox seating. -The twisted pathway represents eels, a main food source of the Kulin people. -The five metal shields represent the five clans of the Kulin Nation. -There are metal sculptures near the ArtPlay Centre. They represent possum skin cloaks that the Aboriginal people used in ancient times. ||
 * < [[image:BirrarungMarr004.jpg width="242" height="190"]]
 * I **** nteresting Facts: **

__Sculptures in the Docklands__
__Back SMS Home Page__


 * [[image:mcscbd2011/Scilence.jpg width="319" height="240"]] || **Silence**

**Location:** NewQuay Promenade **Materials:** Fiberglass resin coated with white acrylic paint **Artist:** Adrian Mauriks (1942-now, Dutch) **Year Built:** 2003 **Represents:** Clouds, tree, forests, natural things **Purpose in the society:** Silence has a peaceful presence, suggesting meekness and a world away from the chaotic everyday hustle and bustle. **Interesting Facts:** - Adrian Mauriks along with the sculpture wrote a beautiful poem about it explaining what the artwork means to him: In the landy Between mirboo north and boolarra south Silence came upon me And brought tears to my soul In the landscape of the mind Openness and focus expand Evermore moving Fast and furious Erstwhile still and quiet What can replicate This feeling of silence and bliss Tentatively glimpsed Tantalising, beckoning A world whizzing by In midst I am Silent Silence is the secret and the holy grail Epiphany the greatest joy With an undertow of aum **Other Artworks by Mauriks:** None in Melbourne CBD ||
 * [[image:Anchor.jpg width="222" height="276" align="left"]] || **Anchor**

**Location:** Near Gate 2, above Etihad Stadium Concourse **Materials:** Rope, strings **Artist:** Neil Dawson (1948-now, New Zealander) **Year Built:** 2006 **Represents:** It is tribute to the maritime crafts of the past **Purpose in the society:** Some people do not see it the first time and only discover of its presence a while later. It is pretty amusing to see an anchor in the sky and not deep down under the sea or hanging by the side of a ship. Anchor reminds the society of the past maritime achievements. **Interesting Facts:** - The Anchor is approximately 33 meters off the ground and is held by almost invisible, strong ropes and looks like it is floating in the sky

**Other Artworks Dawson:** None in Melbourne CBD ||
 * [[image:treaded_field.jpg width="214" height="291"]] || **Threaded Field**

**Location:** Near gates 1 and 6, around Etihad Stadium concourse **Materials:** Painted and polished steel, internal lighting **Artist:** Simon Perry (1962-now, British) **Year Built:** 1999 **Represents:** Needles, knots, threads and loops **Purpose in the society:** Threaded Field stands out in the midst of chaos in the stadium. It provides seating for the Melbournians. The huge climbing haven also grants entertainment to kids of all ages. **Interesting Facts:** - The Threaded Field was inspired by the architecture of Etihad Stadium. - It is made to survive the hostile environment.

**Other Artworks by Perry:** **'Public Purse'** Bourke Street Mall
 * 'Public Address'** at Federation Square(was there) ||
 * [[image:Docklands040.jpg width="280" height="209"]] || **IOU**

**Location:** Waterview Walk **Materials:** Stainless steel and toughened glass **Artist:** Mikala Dwyer (1959-now, Australian) **Year Built:** 2005 **Represents:** Debt/poem **Purpose in the society:** IOU represents another world and dimension, far away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. The world reflected in IOU is still and quiet. **Other Artworks by Dwyer:** Many in Anna Ashwartz Gallery ||
 * [[image:Docklands036.jpg width="219" height="282"]] || **Aurora**

**Location:** Corner of Harbour Esplanade and Bourke Street **Materials:** Stainless, internal lighting **Artist:** Geoffrey Bartlett (1952-now, Australian) **Year Built:** 2005 **Represents:** An inverted cargo net **Purpose in the society:** Aurora stands regally in the day and emits a purple glow at night. The cargo net signifies Dockland's history as Melbourne's most important port. **Interesting Facts:** - The Aurora is around 14 meters high - There were many technical componantsbas the desired lighting used with many lumanaire. **Other Artworks:** **'The Messenger'** NGV **Materials:** Stainless steel **Artist:** Michael Snape (1951-now, Australian) **Year Built:** 2005 **Represents:** Sense of community, cooperation and well-being **Purpose in the society:** Continuum reminds its audiences to work together to create a better community. **Interesting Facts:** - The interconnected figures bring a sense of co-ordination in the community along with the friendships and kindness shared in the community.
 * 'Constellation'** Yarra Turing Basin
 * 'Obelisk'** Focal building juction Latrobe ||
 * [[image:Docklands037.jpg width="203" height="292"]] || **Continuum** **Location:** Waterview Walk

**Other Artworks by Snape:** None in Melbourne CBD ||
 * [[image:City_s_031.jpg width="320" height="239"]] || **Signature Work**

**Location:** Waterview Walk **Materials:** Sand blasted and black painted aluminium plates **Artist:** Emily Floyd (1972-now, Australian) **Represents:** A koala **Purpose in the society:** I spy with my little eyes a bunny. Or wait, is it a bear or a koala? Signature Work is constantly being mistaken as a creature familiar to the eyes of the viewer. Emily Floyd's sculptures often depict toys, evoking the childhood memories of audiences. **Interesting Facts:** - Emily Floyd wants her work to be familiar to the public but also to make connection with the artwork.

**Other Artworks:** None in Melbourne CBD ||
 * [[image:Docklands038.jpg width="320" height="239"]] || **Reed Vessel**

**Location:** Docklands Park **Materials:** Stainless steel, aluminium louvres, recycled plastic decking, aluminium and bronze castings **Artist:** Virginia King (1946-now, New Zealander) **Year Built:** 2002 **Represents:** Migration and journeys **Purpose in the society:** Reed Vessel is set high in the air, signifying the former tidal wetland of Australia. Audiences are able to walk below the vessel while water runs down its steel plates. It is enjoyable on a hot day when the water is cool. **Interesting facts:** -This sculpture explores the themes of migration, journeys and marine archeology. -It also supported by poetic texts.

**Other Artworks:** None in Melbourne CBD ||
 * [[image:City_s_037.jpg width="320" height="240"]] || **Eagle**

**Location:** Wurundjeri Way **Materials:** Jarrah, aluminium and glass **Artist:** Bruce Armstrong (1956-now, New Zealander) **Year Built:** 2003 **Represents:** Bunjil, the spirit protector of the Wurundjeri people **Purpose in the society:** The Eagle was originally commissioned to commemorate the naming of Wurundjeri Way. It watches over the Docklands and gives a feeling of security. Tourists or most Melbournians would be puzzled about the Eagle and be given something to ponder about. The Eagle would be relocated soon. **Interesting Facts:** -The sculpture is about 25 meters tall

**Other Artworks:** **'Constellation'** Yarra Turning Basin
 * 'Guardians'** NGV ||
 * [[image:Art_Sculpture_s_009.jpg width="320" height="240"]] || **Unfurling**

**Location:** Forecourt and entrance foyer, National Foods, 737 Bourke Street **Materials:** Silicon and bronze **Artist:** Andrew Rogers (unknown, Australian) **Year Built:** 2008 **Represents:** Unknown **Purpose in the society:** Unfurling is basically three biomorphic forms in the foyer. It often looks like a dried leaves. **Other Artworks by Rogers:** None in Melbourne CBD. ||



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