The Archibald Fountain is an art deco style fountain in Hyde Park, designed by French artist Francois Sicard and unveiled on 14 March 1932. The fountain is named after J.F. Archibald, owner and editor of The Bulletin, a newspaper which later became a magazine that encouraged writers to write about Australia. He bequeathed funds to build it to commemorate the association of Australia and France in World War I. The fountain features mythological characters of ancient Greece. The central pedestal features a bronze sculpture of Apollo with the fan-like shape of water formed by jets rising behind it, representing the rising sun. Today marks the twenty year anniversary of the first photo I posted on this blog which was also a photo of this fountain and can be seen here. To celebrate, I returned this week for another look at the fountain; this time with St Mary's Cathedral as a backdrop. A view at the ten year anniversay can be seen here.
This mural has been painted on the side wall of a Turkish take away shop on the corner of Bay Street and Trafalgar Street, in the southern suburb of Brighton-Le-Sands.
This Lunar New Year installation was in the central atrium, beneath the historical dome, of the Queen Victoria Building (QVB). In the Chinese zodiac, this year is the Year of the Horse.
These lunar lanterns have been installed at Market City, a shopping centre above Paddy's Markets in Chinatown, in the inner city suburb of Haymarket. In the Chinese zodiac, this year is the Year of the Horse. The lantern is located in the 1909 Dining Precinct, which features deluxe Asian eateries. It takes its name from the year that the original red-brick facade of the market was built to house Sydney's first fruit and vegetable market.
'Meeras Pavilion' is a large-scale, interactive artwork in Customs Square, in front of Customs House near Circular Quay. It is part of Art & About Sydney and was co-designed by Rohingya and Australian artists which celebrates creativity, culture and existence beyond narratives of victimhood and statelessness. The taro leaves arch out from the centre of the pavilion, echoing the form of a banyan tree native to Myanmar. This tree symbolises Rohingya’s long connection to the motherland and provides familiar shelter for community gathering.
This mural is on the back of an apartment building bounded by Marrickville Road, Silver Street and Marrickville Lane in the inner west suburb of Marrickville. 'Hestia' was created in 2021 by street artist Steven Nuttall, also known as The Ox King. The artwork celebrated the 200 anniversary of Greek independence and the Greek community which made its home in the suburb. Hestia was the Goddess of hearth and home. Other depictions are: Saint Nicholas, who is a patron saint and the name of the church that immigrants built in the 1960s, Patris, which was the name of a ship which brought a huge majority of the Australian Greek immigrant population, Lamia, which is the name of a Greek deli with Greek food and φιλότιμο (Filotimo), which means love of honour and represents taking someone into your home and showing respect without asking for anything back. The Australian gum leaves represent the new land.
This information kiosk is located in the Dixon Street pedestrian mall in Chinatown, in the inner city suburb of Haymarket. The former seating pagoda enclosure was converted into a red lantern kiosk by Frost Design and Lacoste + Stevenson Architects. "Pao Cha" (to make tea) is the artwork created by artist Pamela Mei-Leng See depicting chrysanthemum flowers left behind after tea is poured, which envelops a red lantern that is illuminated at night. It stands in front of a commercial building called Harbour Plaza which has a restaurant, bar, shops and office space.
This busker performs at a paifang along George Street where it meets Campbell Street, beside the Capitol Square Hotel. A paifang, also known as a pailou, is a traditional style of architectural arch or gateway structure which has been installed to celebrate the Sydney Lunar New Year Festival. The saxophone player displays a QR code so fans can learn more about him and purchase his music.
Linked to: Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World, Communal Global.
These Snake Lanterns are located along the Dixon Street pedestrian mall, at the corner of Little Hay Street in Chinatown, in the inner city suburb of Haymarket. They have been installed to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake. They were created by Haymarket HQ and Basalt Studio, led by brother sister duo Anthony Ho and Fiona Ho.
"Patchwork of Light" is an artwork which was installed on the side of a building along Reiby Place in 2013. It consists of an array of ten brightly coloured light boxes emblazoned with figures and phrases in the Sydney indigenous language and English bringing Aboriginal, European, political and sporting histories to life. It was created by Lara Schnitger and was developed with Wiradjuri/Yuin elder Aunty Bronwyn Penrith, whose journey has been dedicated to reclaiming the culture of and respect for Aboriginal women. A closer look at the light boxes can be seen here.
Linked to: Weekend Reflections, All Seasons, Happy Now, Words Welcome.
This artwork has been installed along the Dixon Street pedestrian mall in Chinatown, in the inner city suburb of Haymarket. The Jigsaw Rabbit was created by Australian-Chinese artist Chris Yee to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rabbit. SBS is the Special Broadcasting Service, a public service broadcaster which provides multilingual and multicultural radio and television services.
This artwork is on display at Eveleigh Works, an industrial blacksmithing workshop in the inner city suburb of Eveleigh. 'Save our Ngatji' (Rainbow Serpents), creators of spiritual rivers connecting water, sky, and land (2022) was created by artist Uncle Badger Bates, blacksmith Matt Mewburn and the team at Eveleigh Works. The sculpture was displayed at The Cutaway at Barangaroo as part of the 23rd Biennale in 2022. The Rainbow Serpent is seen as the creator God, known by different Indigenous Australian names by the many different Indigenous Australian people. It is viewed as a giver of life through its association with water, but can be a destructive force if angry. When the rainbow is seen in the sky, it is said to be the Rainbow Serpent moving from one waterhole to another.
