To mark the 20th anniversary of the Wentworth Falls Sculpture Walk, Council has worked with artists to create updated signage for the project.
The Wentworth Falls Lake Sculpture Project was a major public art project to come out of the inaugural City of the Arts and turned 20 years old in 2020. While plans to celebrate the anniversary were delayed by COVID-19, plans to help reconnect the community with the carved sandstone sculptures went ahead.
The Blue Mountains was nominated for World Heritage Listing, for its natural beauty in 2000, and at the same time became the ‘City of the Arts’, due to its large and varied arts community. Artists Anna Baird, Gabriella Hegyes and Robyn Austin were among the 16 artists who produced sculptures for the original project and have worked with Blue Mountains City Council to mark the milestone.
“The original brief was to create 16 sandstone carvings depicting native plant seed pods growing in the local area which could be able to hold water,” Anna Baird said. “The Sculptures provide a tactile experience for children to interact with.”
The new signage includes a sculpture walk map, installed on the Wentworth Falls facilities block, with a photograph of the artists at the launch event. Additional information, now available on the Council website includes links to the historical project catalogue and early video footage of the sculptures being created.
Each sculpture also features a label and QR code, linking to information about the seed pod they depict. Kids activity trail questions have been devised, inspired by the original education kit, now available to families visiting the park via their own mobile device.
Blue Mountains Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill, said: “It has been wonderful to see these sculptures endure over the years. Now everyone can learn something about the surrounding environment at a glance.
“Public art in general enhances the natural or built environment, takes art out of the Gallery and into the open, for everyone to enjoy and interact with.”
Get more information on the Sculpture Walk at bmcc.nsw.gov.au/wentworth-falls-lake-sculpture-walk.
The artists are also planning a 22-year anniversary event at Midday on Sunday October 23 at Wentworth Falls Lake, where community members can BYO a picnic, meet and greet the artists and learn about native plants. A facebook event hosted by the Blue Mountains City of the Arts will provide more information closer to the date: https://www.facebook.com/cityofthearts
Photo: Robyn Austin (left) Anna Baird (middle) and Gabriella Hegyes (right).
