HIDDEN Rookwood Sculptures
By Rookwood General Cemetery
HIDDEN is an annual outdoor sculpture exhibition that takes place amongst the pathways and gardens in one of the oldest sections of Rookwood Cemetery. The exhibition is a unique opportunity for artists to engage with the cemetery’s contemporary relevance, and invites the public into these layered narratives while exploring the diverse cultural heritage of Australia's largest and most historic cemetery.
HIDDEN Rookwood SculpturesJul 14, 2022
41. Daniel Kilminster - Winged Lion
This winged lion in a sitting pose, is inspired by a number of gothic winged grotesques that I have admired from my research on Gothic Architecture.
I have been working in heritage stone masonry for 10 years. I'm currently working for Stone Restorations who are based in the Central Tablelands but have worked all over NSW. We specialise in the repair and restoration of heritage buildings, notably the Bathurst Courthouse and the Cathedral of St Michael and St John, Bathurst.
Daniel Kilminster lives on Wiradjuri Land in the Central Tablelands, NSW.
40. Daniel Tranter-Santoso - Bare Gothic
My design is based on a group of headstones in the Presbyterian section of Rookwoods State Heritage area, near the Frazer Mausoleum. It incorporates arguably the most recognisable Gothic architectural detail; the pointed equilateral arch. I am currently an apprentice monumental stonemason working at Rookwood Cemetery, specialising in the conservation and repair of historic monuments. I also teach Social Anthropology at Macquarie University and am completing my doctoral studies in the School of Social Sciences. My doctoral research focuses on skilled practice as a perceptual and ethical transformation of the self, whereby my apprenticeship at the cemetery serves as a field site for gathering insights about how these perceptual modifications occur. Daniel Tranter-Santoso lives on Dharawal Land in south western Sydney, NSW.
39. Josh Tilden - Gothic Spiral Staircase
I’ve carved a small version of a spiral staircase, looking into the geometry and point in time where medieval architecture and Gothic architecture cross over. Medieval architecture is all about basic geometry. The point where Gothic starts, is where the over-the-top carving elements take over.
I am a stonemason at Rookwood General Cemetery with over 19 years of experience. I also teach Certificate III in Stonemasonry (Monumental/Installation) at Miller TAFE. I’ve worked on the Queen Victoria Building, Eye Hospital Sydney, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and numerous buildings and churches and graveyards monuments with Jasper Swann, Public Works and Rookwood Cemetery.
Josh Tilden lives on Tharawal Gundungurra Land in south western Sydney, NSW.
38. Sach Killam - Gothic Window
This Gothic rose window carving features four spandrel carvings integrated with triangular coordinate spaces, drawing inspiration from German and UK Gothic styles. The winged hourglass references the original Mortuary Stations near Central and Rookwood.
With 30 years of experience in cemetery conservation and heritage stone repairs, I’m currently undertaking conservation repairs and monument safety surveys across Metropolitan Memorial Parks. Notable projects include the conservation of the stonework surrounding the Hyde Park Barracks clock; Vaucluse House lime-based stone conservation; Moyne Farm and Sodwalls Inn cemetery repairs and lead lettering of the Bourke War Memorial.
Sach Killam was born in Canada and now lives on Gundungurra Land in the Blue Mountains, NSW.
37. Matt McLennan - Oak leaf shoulder finial
This relief carving is inspired by the Gothic Revival architectural styles designed on many of Rookwood’s century-old monuments and represents an oak leaf.
I am a second-year apprentice employed by Rookwood General Cemetery and training as a monumental installation and heritage restoration specialist.
Matt McLennan lives on Cabrogal Dharug Land in western Sydney, NSW.
36. Harold Mclean - Goldie: A Neo Gothic Finial
A finial is an architectural carving, found mainly on top of pinnacles, or on top of gables on churches and cathedrals or occasionally used as part of monumental and grave structures. My carving, Goldie: A Neo-Gothic Finial, consists of four very large and bold crockets, four Tudor style roses and multiples of smaller leaves, aesthetically placed to form a visually stimulating and interesting combination.
I have been a stonemason carver and Artist for over 20 years and in the past, I have enjoyed working on some of Sydney's finest and most beautiful stone buildings.
Harold Mclean lives on Dharawal Land in south western Sydney, NSW.
35. Matthew Johnson - Melting Finial
I have always deeply appreciated a sculpture that flips the fundamental characteristics of a material and makes it the opposite. With this carving, I’m aiming to make the stone look and feel more fluid and softer, which is the opposite of a stone’s characteristics as one of the most hard and durable materials.
I am a stonemason at Rookwood General Cemetery and have a Masters of Heritage Conservation from Sydney University focusing on material conservation theory and techniques. Some of my notable works include the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Hyde Park Barracks, St Matthews Anglican Church and Cemeteries.
Matthew Johnson lives on Dharug Land in western Sydney, NSW.
34. Barker College - End of the Line
The End of the Line reflects on the history of the No.1 Receiving Station at Rookwood Cemetery. The hand clasps with their symbolic imagery act as a connection to the earth and this location. By holding and releasing the clay, we leave our mark on this world as we pass through.
Barker College is located on Dharug Guringai Land in northern Sydney, NSW.
Teachers: Ellen Macdonald, Tim Ryan & Bernie Huang.
Students: Emily Afonso, Cameron Barnett, Heidi Bartlett, Sofie Barwell, Sierra Brataniec-Charlton, Stella Chenu, Alex Chung, David Cornwell, Noah Garin, Seraphina Herwono, Kevin Li, Shawn Liang, Susanah Mead, Dani Mu, Mia Nocom, Hannah Oliver, Charlie Rajadhyaksha, Maya Sofarelli, Anika Stanbury, Caitlin Stoodley, Anneliese The, Sebastien The, Peihe Xu, Tessia Xu and Year 9 Visual Arts classes.
33. Amity College - In The Night Garden
In The Night Garden is a collection of 30 large ceramic bowls, and deals with themes of purity, innocence and the life cycle. The pieces are glazed with a variety of pastel colours and quality Japanese Tissue Transfers paper to emphasize the softness of human nature and fragility of life. Each bowl is carefully carved with unique organic patterns to complement the environment. In the Night Garden is a functional collection of works that aims to return to nature what nature gave to us. The bowls will be frequently replenished with fresh water for the local birds and wildlife to drink. Amity College is located on Tharawal Country in western Sydney, NSW.
Teacher: Nadia Maljkovic
Students: Alesha Abbasi, Rehana Ali, Safiya Alnimer, Amal Asri, Maya Dhahir, Serene El Masri, Hajar El Safadi, Safiye Kocabicak, Serene Koussan, Romesa Rana, Frraj Zahara
32. Taryn Raffan - Markers
Markers explores my ancestral connections to ideologies surrounding family, freemasonry, navigation, grief and the afterlife. These sculptures directly reference sandstones shards they transport me to a time when I was a child and my father worked in a sandstone quarry north of Sydney. My father would often bring home scrap sandstone and I would help move the pieces around the family yard whilst he worked on a landscaping project. By binding invisible lines to these ideas and memories my sculptures honour my instinctual connection to rock as a marker. Taryn Raffan has Irish and Scottish ancestry, and currently lives on Yuggera Land in Brisbane, QLD.
31. Cabramatta High School - Connections
In this sculptural work, we have explored the profound connection between our homes, families, and the invisible threads that bind us throughout our journey from birth to death. Comprising of a collection of small ceramic houses, this installation embodies the essence of these interconnected narratives. Each miniature dwelling serves as a vessel for stories and destinies, intricately crafted to symbolize the unique paths we tread. From birth to death, we are on a quest for connection and meaning. This installation invites you to contemplate the red thread of destiny that connects us all, leading us to the keys of freedom, happiness, and a life enriched by the beauty of our shared human experience.
Cabramatta High School is located on Cabrogal Dharug Land in western Sydney NSW.
Teachers: Belinda Kyprianou, Sandra Van Dyk, Bethaney Waters, Tan Nguyen
Students: Shaniya Bryce, Alen William Samaan Daabool, Lucia Dao, Andy Ho, Raisha Kalim, Mary Kelleher, Victoria Kennedy, Jacob Lam, Katie Lam, Quynh Le, Kim Ly, Tommy Ly, Quynh Nhu Mai, Lakena Mao, Lauren Martin, Justin Ngov, Danny Nguyen, Serina Nguyen, Thi Yen Lan Nguyen, Tymongkorl Pech, Justin Pham, Norma Piaggio, Cheynel San-Ream, Jullyya Sao, Sophie Tabuso, Daniel Tran, Annie Trinh, Angelina Truong, Xiao Long Yee, Diana Yousif, David Jalal Dawood Asman, Tran Duc Huy Bui, Yadda Marie Chio , Malinda Deng, Jayden Do, Daisy Duong, Khanh An Duong, William Heng, Lok Hin Ip, Summer Kendall, Joisephine Laione, Lily Le, Martin Luu, Anna Mai, Davina Mel, Jillianne Mesa, Andraws Mikho, Orsola Mittiga, Justin Nguyen, Jenny Nguyen, Linda Scott, Ashur Tammo, Pich Pisey Tem, Alicia Tran, Tommy Tran, Tamiya Tran, Tara Tran, Trong Nghia Tran, Bianca Vo Pham
30. Lisa Holzl - Gustava's Kiss
Gustava’s Kiss pays homage to my Austrian ancestors and muses. The Art Nouveau work of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt has inspired my own sculptural contemplation of the mystical union of spiritual and erotic love, the connection of life and the universe and the osmosis of nature; where the garden is internalised and absorbed into the abstracted figures of two lovers. In this totemic symbol of belonging, organic and rectilinear forms symbolise the feminine and masculine. Anatomy and ornament become one, reminding us that love and loss can give us a timeless connection to nature and the universe.
Lisa Hölzl has Austrian ancestory and lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
29. Stevie Fieldsend - For Sarah
All the little deaths she was forced to experience:
the death of love, of worth, of meaning.
Sometimes I wonder who I could have been with a
good enough upbringing–someone else, that is for sure.
When I talk about small deaths, I mean the death of selves in the aftermath of neglect and trauma.
I create to excavate and touch her face.
I create to integrate and put her back in place.
It is a ritual, a gestural reenactment, a womb memorial;
the lovechild of profound sadness and shame, crying,
because she needs to be seen not buried.
Stevie Fieldsend has New Zealand, Samoan and Chinese ancestory. She lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
28. Leyla Oz - Kefen - Nothing but a few pieces of cloth
Kefen - Nothing but a few pieces of cloth is a site-specific and kinetic artwork that draws inspiration from the ritualistic burial traditions of the Islamic faith. In Islam, you take nothing to your grave except the few pieces of cloth your body is wrapped in, called the Kefen. Bodies of the deceased are washed and shrouded in 5 pieces of cloth for different parts of the body, with specific dimensions and layering rules. My artwork recreates this experience as a reminder of life after death, and its lightness of materials represents the heavenly realm where our loved ones rest.
Leyla Oz thanks Ayşegül, Hasan and Karan for their support with this project.
Leyla Oz is Turkish, Muslim woman who lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
27. Benita Laylim - Ghosts of lost species gather at the shrine
Australia is a haunted landscape in many ways. Since the European invasion, the ecosystem has lost nearly 50 percent of its forests and 38 species of its endemic flora. These ‘ghost species’ are recorded as extinct, yet remain in a spectral sense in archives and data sets. My ceramic installation, Ghosts of lost species gather at the shrine, is based on research into extinct native flowering plants, with a particular focus on orchids (four species are declared extinct and 51 critically endangered). It is structured as a kind of shrine to commemorate the loss of these plants and contemplate the form their ghosts could take. Benita Laylim has Anglo-Chinese ancestory and lives on Gadigal land in Sydney, NSW.
26. Caitlin Bowe - In the sight of the unwise they seem to die
Seed of the mighty oak tree the acorn, though it can fit in the palm of your hand, holds so much potential. Carved into stones they symbolise strength, honour, longevity and steadfastness, a testament to those who have been asleep for so long. Acorns collected and transformed into plaster doubles, their collective magnifying the strength that they symbolise. In the sight of the unwise they seem to die sits from branches, secured by ribbon, ghostly spectators charged to watch over the visitors of Rookwood.
Caitlin Bowe thanks Arts South Australia for their support of this project.
Caitlin Bowe has Irish and British ancestroy, she lives on Kaurna Land in Adeliade, S.A.
25. Dianne Turner - Chandelier of Time and Face
This installation reflects on the transformation of objects in time. It is a rescue chandelier, found binned in Parramatta CBD. Once an object of luxury and glamour, it has been subjected to the elements, weathering its previous shiny glory with rust. However, the remnant crystal pieces still reflect light, rainbows of colour, and a feeling of hope. Plants grow throughout its framework as nature continues the life cycle. The addition of translucent porcelain faces – spirit orbs – represent the souls that we remember, like my ancestral family buried at Rookwood cemetery.
Diane Turner has Latvian ancestry and currently lives on Dharug Land in western Sydney, NSW.
24. Hyun Hee Lee - Remember Us
On the night of 29th October 2022, a crowd crush occurred during Halloween festivities in the Itaewon neighbourhood of Seoul. There were 159 people who lost their lives, two were Australian. I am commemorating the lives that were lost, most of whom were young. This work is very personal for me as I was there in Itaewon at the time. I have written the names of all the people killed on found memorial stones, these have been wrapped in white (the colour of mourning in Korea) silk ribbons and hung from trees to express the ephemerality of life and respect and remembrance for the lives lost.
Hyun Hee Lee thanks Robert Bennetts for his assistance installing this work.
Hyun Hee Lee is represented by Artereal Gallery.
Hyun-Hee Lee was born in South Korea to Buddhist Parents, and now lives Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
23. Corey Black - Protogi
Protogi speculates on future changes of state within and through bodies and their resting places. Extrapolating from historical forms of sarcophagi, Protogi synthesises the effects of our stretched, uneven modes of embodiment in the 21st century, to imagine future vessels wherein decay, stasis and transformation occur upon death. Utilising ancient and contemporary processes, these materials reflect technologies whose function is activated by a key component: the body. Furthermore, they dig into how, through speculative adaptations, these bodies might degrade and be entombed in the near future and how these methods might be observed.
Corey Black thanks Central Foundry, Pioneer Plating and Swift Electroplaters.
Corey Black lives on Gadigal Land in the inner west of Sydney, NSW.
22. Virginia Keft - The Colony
The central motif of matjam (Flying Fox) celebrates connection to place and community. As a Muruwarri artist, I weave sculptural bats using ancient techniques passed down from Elders, emphasising that Culture persists. Weaving practice is a deeply personal expression of my connection to Culture, place, and identity. Dharawal and Dharug Country is home to tens of thousands of Grey-headed Flying Foxes. Human activities and urban sprawl have displaced them from their natural habitats. At dusk they fill the sky, screeching as they pass over the rooftops. As the sun rises, the colony settles into the suburban gum trees to rest.
Virginia Keft was supported by Cumberland City Council in running a HIDDEN 2023 community workshop at the Granville Centre.
Virginia Keft is a Muruwari woman, who currently lives on Dharawal Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
21. Glenn Barkley - the dead tree the dry stone I knew nothing
My great grandfather owned large parts of the nearby suburb of Lidcombe. He was known as an eccentric tyrant and had around 20 children, most of whom have left the area. This pot acknowledges the presence of my ancestors in the cemetery as well as drawing upon an unusual photograph of my family members standing around decorated carcasses of meat in the back of their Lidcombe butcher shop, a shop that is still extant.
Glenn Barkley is represented by Sullivan+Strumpf.
Glenn Barkley has Irish ancestry, he lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
www.sullivanstrumpf.com/artists/glenn-barkley/
Photo credit: Ainslie.Co Photography
20. Soyoun Kim - Tong(ue)s
Tong(ue)s visually interplays the approximate sound and spelling of the words ‘tongues’ and ‘tongs’ drawn from my experience and perspective as an immigrant whose mother tongue is not English. Through the interlayers of multiple casts of my tongue and tongs made of bamboo, I want to share the emotional effects of the lost in translation of language and culture with people who experienced this and were buried in the cemetery. And I hope their buried silence breaks through the red thread and transforms into blooming tongues and tongs to create a visual cacophony of cultural differences.
Soyoun Kim was born in South Korea, and now lives on Bunurong Kulin Land in Melbourne, VIC.
19. Harry Copas - Exits and entrances
One door closes, another opens. Exits and entrances emerged from a recent visit to Rookwood for a funeral. I observed the gravediggers use a screen door covered in astroturf to cover the grave, both before and after the casket was lowered. Whilst the premise of the work came from a death, this work is very much about life. A range of organic and non-organic materials are given another life cycle. The result is a monument to life, an amalgamation of memory and experiences within the resin and marble, allowing the moss to cling on for dear life.
Harry Copas lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
18. Celine Cheung - 忘川 (River of Oblivion)
In Chinese numerology, 99 signifies eternity. When my grandfather became terminally ill, my family sought solace in studying Buddhist beliefs. This installation features 99 intricate sigils floating along white mesh, imitating souls passing through to the afterlife in an underworld river. The fluid symbols are distorted renditions of the 8 auspicious signs in Buddhism morphed with other symbols in my personal lexicon. This work chronicles learning and reconnecting with spirituality, as death can both divide and bring people together. This work was created collaboratively with my father.
Celine Cheung thanks Parramatta Artists’ Studios Open Residency for their support in developing this project.
Celine Cheung has Hong Kong-Chinese and Australian ancestory, she lives on Dharug Land in western Sydney, NSW.
Photo credit: Jacquie Mannings at Parramatta Artists' Studios Rydalmere.
17. Emily Greenwood - Food For Thoughts: A Question of Intergenerational Memory?
The importance of the Tongan Ta’ovala is derived from its specific creation process, as the connection to land regenerates the Ta’ovala’s sacred status. Each glass swatch is a sculptural abstraction of the traditional Ta'ovala. As I created the work, I started to understand the parallels with my work and the practice of my ancestors. The fragile materiality of the glass parallels the sacredness of the Ta’ovala. Through the process of this work, I have created a stronger connection to my ancestors and my culture translating sacred cultural practices in my work, for a post- colonial context.
Emily Greenwood was supported by Cumberland City Council in running a HIDDEN 2023 community workshop at the Granville Centre.
Emily Greenwood identifies as mixed Tongan and also recognises their Eurocentric and Wiradjuri ancestry. They currently live on Wangal Land in the inner west of Sydney, NSW.
16. Karlina Mitchell and Lee Mitchell - Moce
Fijian graves are decorated to commemorate those lost. Every time you visit a family member’s grave, there is an expectation that you bring decorative fabrics with you, to decorate their grave. This work looks to replicate this practice, using fabrics of loved ones lost in our own family. Working together with others in community workshops, this work features fabrics ranging from flannel to doilies, loud bula print to tablecloth material, all coming together to form a collaborative commemorative installation.
Karlina Mitchell and Lee Mitchell were supported by Cumberland City Council with a HIDDEN 2023 community workshop at the Granville Centre.
Karlina Mitchell was born in Nausori Fiji and her vanua is from Vunivaivai Village, Nausori. Karlina Mitchell and Lee Mitchell live on Dharug and Gundungurra Land in the Blue Mountains, NSW.
15. Crackpot Studios - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Our installation focuses on our transition from birth to death with memories made Yesterday, experiences of Today and hopes and dreams for Tomorrow. The iconic flowering shrub called ‘Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow’ symbolizes our life cycle – purple fading to lilac and then to white across the 3 totems. Purple signifies independence, creativity and ambition. Lilac is youthfulness and courtship and white is peacefulness, death and sadness. As we wander through the passages of our lives, we are invisibly connected to each other. We are not alone on our paths.
Caroline Wright, Mandie Robertson, Sarah Robertson, Bridget Willis are represented by Crackpot Studio and Gallery.
Crackpot Studios is a collaboration of artists – Caroline Wright, Mandie Robertson, Sarah Robertson, Bridget Willis – with varied ancestry: Namibian, Scottish and Irish; who now live on Gayamaygal Land in the northern beaches of Sydney, NSW.
14. Cole Cochran - Slow Response
Slow response explores the material conditions of the remnant bushland and the heritage brickwork within the Rookwood grounds. The work playfully mimics the existing low brick walls in the cemetery through a series of handmade bricks formed on site. The work’s provisionality makes wry reference to Sydney’s brickworks, architecture, and Minimalist and Land Art traditions, while being critical of any romantic turn towards these traditions. Slow response is an experiment in making that articulates circumstance, social relations, and materials which are implicated in the vernacular of place.
Cole Cochran was born in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and now lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
13. Kumiko Delaney - The Unwind in Nishitokorozawa
Visiting my grandparents in Nishitokorozawa and eating around their kotasu (dining table) is a cherished time for bonding, nourishment and unwinding. My grandmother's love transpires through her cooking. When we are apart, I must rely on connection through memory and the hope that I will see her again. The taste and smell of these dishes fade over time, to be revitalised when I am sitting in her presence again. Efforts to cherish these times together become overcrowded with the lingering fear of the unknown.
Kumiko Delaney has a Japanese mother, and father of Irish descent. She lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
12. Szymon Dorabialski - Unbound tenets
Unbound Tenets re-imagines the church stripped of its dogmas and instead leaves us contemplating the awe of the transcendental visionary experience. Stained glass has been used for centuries within places of worship, to evoke visionary experiences, startling the senses with its inherent luminescence. The symbology in the work takes on multi-faceted origins from personal out-of-body experiences, religion, Slavic folklore, mysticism, psychedelics and architecture; and seeks to unravel the recurring motifs throughout history—symbols that have persistently signified the ineffable sensations of transcendence, death and ascension. What do we unfold when our minds seemingly traverse dimensions? The range of speculation is boundless.
Szymon Dorabialski has Slavic ancestry. He lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
11. Clare Nicholson -Remains to be Seen
Remains to be Seen suggests the cyclic passage of time through birth, mortality and the impact of heritable human-nature relationships. Installed near Rookwood’s Hawthorne Avenue, my site-specific sculptural ‘avenue’ of pelvises, complete with arching botanical embellishments, implies interwoven epigenetic exterior influences shaping our biological bodies and identities. Symbolically, pelvises reference fertility, inheritance, growth and renewal, while avenues are emblematic of pathways, journeys, resilience and guidance. By installing this fragile and unprotected work on disproportionately large anthropogenic concrete blocks, my intention is to evoke introspection regarding the delicate balance and tension between humanity, nature, spirituality and human intervention.
Clare Nicholson was born in England, and now lives on Gadigal Land in the inner west of Sydney, NSW.
10. Lachlan Bell - Sinililled silmadele (Blue Flowers For Eyes)
Sinililled silmadele (Blue Flowers For Eyes) is an ephemeral cenotaph placed in dialogue with the Estonian Niche Walls at Rookwood. Comprised of salvaged bricks and plantings of endemic flora, the monument references a memorial in Ehmja, Estonia for my grandfather’s brothers who died in 1946 fighting as Metsavennad (Forest Brothers). While their bodies are lost - their legacies remain firmly embedded in the land. The garden honours these sacrifices made by resistance fighters who rally against the interconnected and rhizomatic struggles for sovereignty, self-determination and decolonisation.
Lachlan Bell has Estonian ancestry and lives on Wallumedegal Land in the north west of Sydney,NSW.
9. Ashfield Public School (Years K-6) - Intersections
Intersections was created by students to acknowledge Refugee Week. An oversized patchwork blanket was made and embellished by students using hand stitching, applique, beading and embroidery techniques and based on the book ‘My Two Blankets’ by Irena Kobold. This blanket represents a visual intersection of lives, experiences, and cultures where different stories and memories come together. Through the process of creating the work, students engaged with the themes of empathy, understanding, and community building and serves as a meditative reminder to the often perilous journey that refugees undertake to seek safety and the many stories prematurely halted in the search for freedom.
Ashfield Public School is located on Gadigal Wangal Land in the inner west of Sydney, NSW.
Teachers: Karen Manning & Jane Bennett.
8. Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School - The Weavers
We have been weavers for millennia. Like birds, we weave our homes, and our lives from the materials we find around us. Our nests are ephemeral, only existing for as long as they are tended until they return back to the earth, ready to be remade anew.
Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School is located on Dharug Country in western Sydney, NSW.
Teacher: Katherine Penny.
Students: Year 10 Visual Arts classes
7. Sylvia Griffin - Markers of Remembrance
I regard the process of taking rubbings (or frottage) from the decorative elements of gravestones as a method of recording a language of mourning. These decorations and symbols speak for both the deceased and their loved ones. Rather than using paper, I have captured cross-cultural details on cloth that has been interred in soil, then overdyed with plant matter from the Rookwood site. The cloth reflects the haptic relationships and intimate associations we often have with fabric. Here, the cloth is draped, secured by, or wrapped around stones like those used for nearby graves.
Sylvia Griffin thanks Rookwood General Cemtery’s Stonemasons of for loaning pieces from their Stonemasons Yard for this work.
Sylvia Griffin is of Hungarian Jewish descent, and lives on Wangal Land in the inner west of Sydney, NSW.
6. Entangled - Infinite Entanglement: Plotting the Urban Forest
Network Infinity explores the interconnected and tangled root systems that exists in the world, literally under the forested area of Rookwood and the social networks around us. The installation features an infinity void of mycelium root systems that etched inside the illusion. Mycelium draws and shares nutrients from the earth’s ecology around it while interconnecting the majority of the world’s plant life. Network Infinity invites the audience to consider their positionality in the world whether it be through their ancestry, their placement in the natural and social world.
Entangled is a collaboration of artists who live across WoiWodi, Dharawal, Gadigal, Gayamaygal and Garigal Lands, in and around Sydney, NSW.
5. Kealey Bacic - Fallen
Fallen is a recreation of a moment in time. A mere twig, fallen from a tree, having served its purpose, gathering energy for the tree, providing a perch for a bird, nectar for pollinators. Though it has separated from its body, its beauty lives on, its place in the world remains though it has shifted. Much like the memories of a loved one, when shared amongst those that remember them, becoming almost larger than life.
Kealey Bacic lives on Dharug Land in north western Sydney, NSW.
4. Jane Theau - The Soul of a Unicorn
Where does the soul reside? In his book ‘The Five Senses’, the philosopher Michel Serres suggested the site of the soul is the skin because it is there we meet the world. We are because we feel. We can carry on without sight or hearing or taste or smell, but it is impossible to exist without touch. This tactile sculpture was influenced by Serres' philosophy, and by the ‘Lady and the Unicorn’ tapestries whose subject is the senses. It has no eyes, ears, nose or mouth, only integument, and it is clothed in a cape made from a product of that integument – hair.
Jane Theau thanks Nick Stranks for his assistance with casting.
Jane Theau lives on Cammeraygal Land in the north shore of Sydney, NSW.
3. Nicole O'Regan - Sombre
Sombre was created intentions of displaying reflective and sorrowful emotion with a sense of examining one’s own thoughts of grief. I spend many hours searching for rocks of the right shape, then carefully weave steel around the natural contours and structure to create the figure. In all my works I aim to demonstrate depth of feeling and I enjoy the challenge of creating expressions from inanimate objects.
Nicole O'Regan lives on Wiradjuri Land in the central tablelands of NSW.
2. Jayanto Tan - The Chest of Silence: Tart’s Tea Party in The Garden of Celestial City
The Chest of Silence: Tart’s Tea Party in The Garden of Celestial City, is like an altar, and also like a coffin around which all family members might gather. The still life tarts displayed on top, are reflections on my childhood and upbringing, imbued with a sentimental emotional value that unites with the current residents, Mei Quong Tart and his family, in the Rookwood Sleeping City. It is a quiet, but very potent and colourful way of suggesting thoughts about community, about how people come together and share life. Sensitive and sensual at the same time, this work is about sharing, friendship, family and neighbourhood.
Jayanto Tan is represented by Art Atrium Gallery.
Jayanto Tan was born in North Sumatra to a Sumatran Christian mother and China Taoist father. He now lives on Gadigal Wangal Land in the inner west of Sydney, NSW.
1. NC Qin - Network Infinity
Network Infinity explores the interconnected and tangled root systems that exists in the world, literally under the forested area of Rookwood and the social networks around us. The installation features an infinity void of mycelium root systems that etched inside the illusion. Mycelium draws and shares nutrients from the earth’s ecology around it while interconnecting the majority of the world’s plant life. Network Infinity invites the audience to consider their positionality in the world whether it be through their ancestry, their placement in the natural and social world.
NC Qin is represented by Art Atrium Gallery.
NC Qin has Chinese Australian ancestry, and lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.
0. HIDDEN 2023 Curator Intro
HIDDEN Rookwood Sculptures is an annual outdoor sculpture exhibition, running since 2009. It takes place amongst the pathways and gardens in one of the oldest sections of Rookwood Cemetery, on Dharug Land. Rookwood Cemetery is the largest and most multicultural cemetery in Australia: rich in heritage, traditions, and layered narratives.
Alongside an intriguing range of contemporary artworks by midcareer, established and emerging artists in the long-running Sculptures section, HIDDEN 2023 also includes the Schools and Stonemasons categories.
Kath Fries is a curator and artist, who lives on Gadigal Wangal Country in the Inner West of Sydney. She has been the curator of HIDDEN Rookwood Sculptures since 2019, focusing on site-responsive practices that engage with layered histories to openup new perspectives, relationships, and interconnections. Over the past 20 years Kath has been involved in artist-run galleries, community spaces, artist-in-residence programs, local government initiatives, not-for-profit organisations and education institutions, working as an artist, curator, researcher, board member, lecturer, writer, and mentor to emerging artists.
HIDDEN 2022 Curator Intro
Adam King - Mani
Adam King is a proud Dharug man who currently lives on Guringai Country, Central Coast NSW. He started his art practice 30 years ago when living in Sydney. Adam was taught by professional artists, learning his skills in the old traditional ways. Over the years he has also been learning about culture and the way of life of his people and the respect of this land. Adam has also worked in building, construction, and design, using CAD software, plasma cutters and CNC Waterjet Cutting Machines. By bringing his art, construction, metal working and CAD design skills together, Adam creates strong statements. He hopes to teach the next generation, to open-up careers and job opportunities for Aboriginal young people.