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Usually the term “gateway” is used metaphorically. Not so with the gateway to Wellington in inland NSW. This gateway is a very substantial work of community art. I leave my cabin near the caves late on a grey afternoon to investigate and photograph it, and find a grand design reminiscent of Gaudi’s masterpiece in Barcelona, although admittedly on a considerably smaller scale.
Attributions first: the overall design was created by sculptor Frances Ferguson and nine artists from the Orana Aboriginal Corporation; stonework is by Ken Done, metalwork by David Hobba, glasswork by Brian Hurst, mosaic designs by local schoolchildren. It’s constructed from the girders of the old Wellington bridge which collapsed in 1989. A sign at the site explains the symbolism. It’s shaped like a seed pod, representing the fertility of the valley and the future potential of the town. The chimes are the stalactites in the caves. The pool is the junction of the two local rivers and is encircled by words in Wiradjuri: Wirrum-wirrum ngina omeo warra ay bila-bila nyn (Wellington. Here mountains stand, rivers join.) metal and mosaic plants grow out of the pod: kangaroo grass, a native grass now replaced by European grasses, and purple Paterson’s Curse, colourful, a bit prickly but tough and enduring. On top of the dome a young seedling of the native orchid Diuris althoferi, a new species discovered by the local botanist, George Althofer (founder of the Burrendong botanical gardens) symbolises the ongoing unfolding of connection to this place.
I circle the gateway as two men exercise their greyhound across the road and a small boy takes a break from “are we nearly there yet?” to climb all over the rusty metal.
The next morning I visit again in totally different light. Since I’m not a studio photographer who manipulates light, I have to depend on the diurnal movement of the sun, which has disobligingly placed itself just where I don’t want it to be. However this forces me into different perspectives, rather than following last evening’s as I intended. The colour of the mosaic plants twining around the pod, are clear and vibrant and I focus on things yesterday’s silhouettes didn’t reveal.
Rosemary Barnard said:
Salvador Dali in rural Australia.
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morselsandscraps said:
An interesting comparison.
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Rosemary Barnard said:
Or maybe John Olsen, even better. The master of chaotic squiggle.
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morselsandscraps said:
Tell me more.
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Lucid Gypsy said:
I like the upcycling of the bridge and I love the details, but not the whole I’m afraid! It’s interesting to see to in different lights.
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morselsandscraps said:
It was going to be “5 minutes with …”, but I couldn’t stretch even my cavalier handling of the truth that far!
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Heyjude said:
Lovely images. I particularly like the close-ups of the metal and mosaic seed heads and leaves. I would love some sculptures like that in my garden. Not the whole thing – just a couple of the flowers. Such a lot of work has gone into this gateway, I am amazed anyone would allow a child to clamber over it. (And I too like your hat avatar!!)
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morselsandscraps said:
Preventing clambering? How? It’d need to be hurricane wire fenced. I’m a bit surprised that it hasn’t been much vandalised: it’s 7km out of town and visible from the highway. A little bit of glass at the top of the stone cairns has been smashed, but no graffiti or other damage. Maybe I could harvest a few flowers for you next time, although I probably need to learn levitating first!
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Heyjude said:
Just thinking about children and rusty metal. Not a good combination, at least it wouldn’t have been in my house!!
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morselsandscraps said:
I obviously wasn’t thinking about the well-being of the child!
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Heyjude said:
😀 😀
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restlessjo said:
This comes in my beautiful/ugly category. 🙂 🙂 I especially like your rusted close ups.
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Sue said:
Oh, what fantastic community art, and your collages are fab!
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morselsandscraps said:
That’s reassuring, after the complaints last week!!!
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restlessjo said:
Complaints? What can the lady mean? 🙂 🙂
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Sue said:
Complaints, Meg?!! Polite requests…..hee hee… It very much depends on the images chosen, and these were bold and distinctive
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Tish Farrell said:
This is so fascinating, Meg. Collaboration between earth-made and man-made. The stone structures are especially wonderful.
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morselsandscraps said:
I can’t believe I’ve driven blithely past this many times on our woggly way to Queensland. One of the delights of this journey was stopping and following my nose and brochures.
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Tish Farrell said:
You’ve changed your avatar too! It’s a great pic. Your titfer balances my titfer: ‘The Women in Hats’ Ha!
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morselsandscraps said:
Taken while I was skyping Warsaw on the beach, at dusk, moving every ten minutes to escape tide-swirl. Worth it because Jaś got excited when he saw a seagull. Your hat probably inspired me.
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