Tuesday 13 April 2010

Rookwood, sculpture

Rookwood Necropolis is one of the largest cemeteries in the southern hemisphere. Hidden: A Rookwood Sculpture Walk is an art exhibition on the Rememberence Lawn until 18th April 2010. It is now in its second year and features the works of 24 artists in response to the Rookwood site. The artists explore themes of death, grief and their own personal connection to the site. The Rookwood Anglican and General Cemetery Trusts organises the exhibition to draw people into the cemetery but some visitors feel it is an inappropriate venue for an art show.

34 comments:

  1. Interesting! Surprising!
    Maybe the "spirits" there enjoy having this art come to their place.

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  2. It would be interesting to know what the artists were portraying with their exhibits.
    I think it is a natural venue, providing the exhibits do not set out to shock with their exhibits.

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  3. Well ... blow me down. I was scheduled to go out there this Sunday just gone, but postponed until this week! I shall watch with interest your postings. Never been for a tour but have studied the map in preparation. Love old cemeteries. Have toured Waverly, Camperdown, and Vaucluse and was collecting for a series.

    I read about this sculpture walk in the SMH. Do you mind if I continue anyway? We have different readers, and approach the same location quite differently. I would not post until close to the end of April anyways.

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  4. Julie, no worries, please do. I wasn't that impressed by the exhibition, to be honest. I would not consider some of them to be art at all and others I found difficult to photograph. These were my only shots. I'd be interested to see your impression and approach.

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  5. Yes, I can see what you mean with, say, the small plastic crosses. They appear insignificant and could do with some vegetation. I wonder if the organisers are maybe apeing the style of Sculpture by the Sea. I can see that quickly I would be entreated away by the real headstones and the real history. I shall nip out anyways and add to my collection. Taa ...

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  6. That is very interesting and, yes, surprising! You do come up with some different and intriguing posts! I love it! Have a great week!

    Sylvia

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  7. the second photo bring me back the time when i was still a kid at about 6-7 maybe i saw same in one of our cemetery in my country,i thought someone who was buried in there was very unfortunate to have atleast a decent place to be buried,nice subject

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  8. Don't know what to think of the exposition. Usually cemeteries are peaceful places.

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  9. I'm glad you showed these. I'd read about it and wondered what was there. Would also like to go out but probably won't make it. Apparently they've caused a bit of controversy - some people think they have no place in a cemetery.

    The painted shelter is on the corner opposite the Clarendon Hotel in Katoomba.

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  10. Thanks for letting me know Ann. That was a great mural on the bus shelter that you featured.

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  11. Thanks for stopping by today. I'm really enjoying your photos. Would LOVE to see the fireworks on New Year's ever there someday.

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  12. Leaving me much in thoughts. For sure a nice sight. Makes one wonder how it would look like once there benath.

    A life filled Tuesday for you.

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  13. An interesting and very surprising photos Jim. Very nice world you have.

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  14. very interesting, especially the silver one!

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  15. It doesn't look like a cemetery. Very pretty.

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  16. very interesting. this is a unique venue for an art exhibit but if its about death, then it's a perfect place to show the artists' works.

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  17. I like the idea of art to explore grief and loss. Interesting works you showed us here.

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  18. Very interesting. Is that a hand sticking out?

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  19. Ebie, it certainly is a hand sticking out of the ground. A bit creepy for some people.

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  20. Another marvelous and informative post!
    I love it!
    Have a great week.

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  21. An art walk on a cemetery is sure something unusual.
    I 'like' cemeteries though. Quiet and usually beautiful, even though they are sad.

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  22. Great shots... What better way to celebrate people's lives than with glorious art?

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  23. Interesting! Those are some very unique tomb stones which I seldom see in my country here.

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  24. no place is a wrong place for art I would say. I like it.

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  25. Interesting post and arts. The top left photo reminds me of the Zombie movie.Thanks for sharing.

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  26. Thanks, my mother rest there among the thousands...

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  27. I was intrigued by these photos: the transparent crosses are really cool; it took me a while to understand where the shadows were coming from. I also liked the tree "sculpted" in the marker stone....
    Very interesting: thanks for sharing.

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  28. marina, those crosses were really hard to photograph. They were mirrors, so from that angle they reflected the bark and leaf litter on the ground so they gave the impression that they were transparent. From other angles you had reflections of the sky and nearby green lawn.

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