We’re so lucky to live in Canberra. Not only are we a garden city threaded with nature but we’re also a city dotted with more than 150 works of public art.
There’s not a single piece of art I don’t love (once you know the stories behind them, they’re impossible not to adore) but when my kids told each other to meet in Civic at “the goon bag” last week, and a friend said she worked next to the “Pandora bracelet” on Moore Street in Civic, I wondered what else we lovingly refer to our public art as.
After a quick whip around family, friends and the Region office, here’s what I discovered.
Photo: artsACT.
The goon bag
Real name: The Cushion and the Wedge
Artist: Matthew Harding
Location: Civic
It’s the shape, the reflective silver surface and the “movement” of the cushion that remind us of that icon of Australian icons: bag-in-a-box wine. But underneath the cushion are pages of poetry and the wording is stunning. You can read the poetry here.
Photo: Phil Price.
Mentos Tree
Real name: Journeys
Artist: Phil Price
Location: Canberra Airport
There are many, many different names for this large-scale, wind-activated kinetic sculpture by New Zealand artist Phil Price. According to Melissa Evens, head of marketing at the airport, people also lovingly refer to it as The Jetsons Tree, Jetsons Sculpture and Flying Saucers. Mentos Tree wins though.
Photo: artsACT.
Dead goldfish
Real name: Moth Ascending the Capital
Artist: Alexander Knox
Location: Tuggeranong
I had no idea it was a moth! We’ve called it this unfortunate name since 2012 when it came to life on Drakeford Drive and my then five-year-old son yelled out: “Look mum! A clump of dead goldfish!”.
Photo: artsACT.
The Pandora bracelet
Real name: Seqvanae
Artist: Michael Kitching
Location: Civic
Located next to the ACT Health building, this work is rich with symbolic references to health and medicine. The work is a tribute to Seqvanae, Roman goddess of healing and includes red and silver crosses and a snake representing the Greek doctor Aesculapius. The lettering on the work resembles an optometrist’s eye test chart.
If you squint, it does look like a series of giant Pandora charms though.
Photo: artsACT.
2-minute noodles
Real name: Vessel of (Horti)cultural Plenty
Artist: Warren Langley
Location: Civic
The twirly, tube LED lights on this beauty, which sits on the corner of Marcus Clarke and Rudd streets, are clearly meant to be flowers. But my cousin’s little girl thought it was a box of crazy noodles and now I can’t unsee it. Cute.
Photo: artsACT.
The chopsticks
Real name: Dinornis Maximus
Artist: Phil Price
Location: Woden
Standing at 11 m tall, this wind-activated kinetic sculpture is impossible to miss. According to its creator Phil Price, a fully-sealed rolling bearing system creates “a wind-powered ballet in the sky”. So beautiful and fancy. Definitely more posh than a pair of chopsticks.
Photo: artsACT.
The ice cubes
Real name: Tumbling Cubes
Artist: Bert Flugelman
Location: Belconnen
A series of highly-polished metal cubes appear to tumble across Margaret Timpson Park in the heart of the Belconnen Town Centre. Makes me fancy a Baileys on the rocks every time I drive past.
