Rug up and take a stroll through Billilla Gardens this winter to see the latest exhibition featuring three magnificent daisy sculptures with bronze bottoms.
The cracking sculptures entitled She gave me a daisy are part of Ross’ major exhibition at Bayside Gallery, held from 8 July to 27 August 2023. They will remain on loan to Bayside City Council at Billilla Historical Mansion for the rest of the year.
Butt that’s not all… In addition to the cheeky sculptures, the gardens also feature stunning lightbox installations by Bayside artist Mark Forbes that illuminate the gardens, featuring ballerina Aimee Hodgkinson.
The activation marks a new era for Billilla as a centre for creativity, culture, and the arts. This follows community engagement in 2021 and 2022 and the establishment of the Billilla Advisory Committee in 2022 who will help guide a future vision for the historic house and gardens.
Location and opening times
She gave me a daisy and Billilla Mansion Lightbox Project are currently on display in the Bililla Mansion Gardens, 26 Halifax St, Brighton. Visitors are welcome to visit the sculptures during the day or evening – the grounds are open to the public 24 hours a day.
Anne Ross: Whichway at Bayside Gallery
For over four decades, Anne Ross has explored pathos and humour within the themes of companionship, belonging and self-containment through the medium of bronze.
Based in Bayside, Ross has achieved national recognition for her sculptural work, receiving significant public commissions such as Taken not given – of love and loss (2018), a memorial sculpture commissioned by the City of Melbourne to recognise the state apology for past adoption practices. Ross’ sculpture Summertime (2018) depicting a dog wearing sunglasses gazing out to sea is a much-loved part of Brighton’s dog beach, located at the end of Sandown Street.
A new era for Billilla
We’re embarking on a staged, long term program of restoration and activation of this heritage gem in Brighton.
The program includes a series of considered heritage and amenity upgrades to create accessible, engaging and well-maintained spaces for the community to enjoy.
The aspirations of the community shared in 2021 and the Billilla Advisory Committee will guide arts and cultural programming at Billilla as a place to engage, create, learn and celebrate.
