Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Birchgrove, Ballast Point Park, art


This is part of an artwork located in the middle of Ballast Point Park at Birchgrove, with a glimpse of the Sydney skyline seen below. "Tank 101was created to symbolise the past working history of the site by Caltex, as an oil refinery. The original tank was the largest industrial storage vessel on this site. Panels of curved sheet steel from the old tank were incorporated in this structure with graphics using a dot font typeface to reflect the thousands of rivets and circular tanks once on the site. The text is part of a line from "The Death of Isaac Nathan" a poem by Australian poet Les Murray: "Stone statues of ancient waves, tongue like dingoes on shore".

31 comments:

  1. Thanks for the explanation about the text. I tried to get the sentence some meaning bud failed!

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  2. I can't really say that I like them, but these installation are amazingly original, and this is always good!

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  3. What an interesting look at your world today, Jim! As always, I love your blue skies and the skyline of Sydney always takes my breath away! Hope you have a great week!

    Sylvia

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  4. Interesting use of a refinery site!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  5. Steffe, the poem is from another era (1864) and has been described as "sounding resolutely odd" and dealing with the "strangeness of things". I'm not sure I can explain any better though but in this line he's talking about dingoes, which are Australian native dogs (which you may already know).

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  6. mmm ... must be modern poetry!

    That peninsula has a wonderful vantage point for viewing both the city AND the harbour.

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  7. I'm glad you explained the reference - I was wondering what it meant in context to the scene.

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  8. It's a lovely view of the city and nice that you can see through the art.

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  9. Glad you explained that bit of text - I was imagining all sorts of things before I read on!

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  10. That is unique. Great use of an old industrial site. I wish we did more of that where I live.

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  11. An excellent photo, nice view of a wonderful place.

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  12. It is an interesting place, even if I do not understand the text. Great photo, have a wonderful day.

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  13. That's great artwork. I also appreciated the explanation, as I was trying to figure out what it meant!

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  14. I enjoyed looking at all your photos of Ballast Point Park, Jim. A nice tour.

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  15. While I have posted about Ballast Point, I could never work out what the writing was. Even if I had, it probably would not have made sense to me.

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  16. Great shot Jim. I like Les Murray's poetry.

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  17. A very creative, symbolic sculpture that seems to frame the city skyline with a metal rainbow!

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  18. Glad you explained the text. A novel sculpture, it looks like a modern Stonehenge.

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  19. Hi there - I would think that the author of the lines and the designer of the sculpture are very pleased that people are talking about both!

    I always think it a very good day when I find an echidna - I've had a good run over the last month - must be out and about to get the spring ants

    Cheers - SM - Melbourne

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  20. Tongues like dingoes on shore? I had to smile on the words.

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  21. «Louis» is going to have to Google the poem and read the rest of it.
    ;-D

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  22. What an interesting concept. I looked at your other pictures as well. The art you have shown us over the years makes me think Sydney is a very artistic city.

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  23. It's nice coming in late because you get all the explanations!! I like the way the city is framed through the art. Great shot Jim.

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  24. An interesting structure and impressive skyline.

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  25. I love the rustic old steel sheets. Nice reuse, and nice shot!

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