20070406_0130 'Untitled' Fountain by Helen Bodycomb, or Stump by Chris Rak
An untitled fountain on a roundabout in Watton Street.
Werribee in 2000.
Victoria.
Artist Helen Bodycomb was commissioned to create this work, in accordance with Wyndham City Councils Art in Public Places Policy. The fountain contributes to Councils vision to revitalise the CBD streetscape, and to create an arts precinct opening spatially and symbolically towards the Werribee River.
Aesthetic additions to the CBD Streetscape reflect and enhance the relationship between the commercial precinct and the Werribee River. The selected artworks relate to each other, the environment, and reference the past, present and future of Wyndham.
The design & production team that worked with commissioned artist Helen Bodycomb were:
Wathaurong artist Glenn Romanis,
Rene Schaefer,
Chris Rak, and
PL Fountains.
Mayor Cr. Henry Barlow launched the artwork on 7 December 2000.
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Artist: Helen Bodycomb
The artist and her work
"The tree is a universal symbol of life and knowledge. As such, its root system is the primary channel for its strength and survival. The root sysyem was chosen as the subject for this work because of these meanings and because it is an aesthetically pleasing form that is simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar. It takes the form of a tree but it obviously is not a tree.
The traditional symbolic meanings of the tree include:
* both the giver and manifestation
* the synthesis of heaven, earth and water
* nourishment, shelter, support".
Sculpture feature
The stainless steel sculpture is the central focus of the fountain, taking its form from an inverted red gum tree root system. River red gums proliferate along the banks of the Werribee River. The fountain component of the work features a series of vertical streams flowing from the tree root branches.
The characteristics of the sculpture's design complement the modernist lines of the adjacent Wyndham Community Cultural Centre, thereby celebrateing the interface of build and organic environments. The viewer's eye is led from the Cultural Centre to the River Walk at the end of Wedge Street, to the Werribee River beyond.
Mosaic
The mosaic surrounding the sculpture suggests that the tree is encircled by water. The domed base, whilst seerving as the sculpture's plinth, depicts a radiating series of branches, gently corrugated by a series of three ripples. Patterning and colouring of the vascular branches, emanating from the base of the sculpture, represent the rich and complex indigenous heritage of the region. Water areas of the mosaic were rendered using a range of blue, green and gold hues from the Werribee River.
The design of the mosaic can be read as:
* A watery reflection of the root structure above it;
* A view of the sculpture as a tree seen from underwater;
* A Stylised representation of sections of the Werribee River and its tributaries, seen from an aerial perspective.
- details from Wyndham City Council's Information Sheet.
and Web site:
www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/experience/artsculture/art/experie...
Additional Information from:
www.hbmosaics.com/mosaic.php?mosaic_id=46
Artists: Helen Bodycomb & René Schaefer
2.3 metre sculpture, base 4 metre diameter stainless steel, vitrified Italian mosaic glass, unglazed ceramic, hydraulics.
This major work is situated on a traffic roundabout, adjacent to the Werribee Cultural Centre. The sculpture respresents the up-turned Red Gum Tree, the mosaic expresses water rings which are also evocative of local indigenous symbols. Mosaic Assistance - Glenn Romanis, Sculpture - Chris Rak, Hydraulics - PL Fountains, 2000 City of Wyndham.
Chris Rak's web site has a different, report on this work:
www.chrisrak.com/projects/stump/
He titles his contribution to the work as 'Stump' - Stainless Steel, City of Wyndham, Victoria (In collaboration with Helen Bodycomb).
20070406_0130 'Untitled' Fountain by Helen Bodycomb, or Stump by Chris Rak
An untitled fountain on a roundabout in Watton Street.
Werribee in 2000.
Victoria.
Artist Helen Bodycomb was commissioned to create this work, in accordance with Wyndham City Councils Art in Public Places Policy. The fountain contributes to Councils vision to revitalise the CBD streetscape, and to create an arts precinct opening spatially and symbolically towards the Werribee River.
Aesthetic additions to the CBD Streetscape reflect and enhance the relationship between the commercial precinct and the Werribee River. The selected artworks relate to each other, the environment, and reference the past, present and future of Wyndham.
The design & production team that worked with commissioned artist Helen Bodycomb were:
Wathaurong artist Glenn Romanis,
Rene Schaefer,
Chris Rak, and
PL Fountains.
Mayor Cr. Henry Barlow launched the artwork on 7 December 2000.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Artist: Helen Bodycomb
The artist and her work
"The tree is a universal symbol of life and knowledge. As such, its root system is the primary channel for its strength and survival. The root sysyem was chosen as the subject for this work because of these meanings and because it is an aesthetically pleasing form that is simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar. It takes the form of a tree but it obviously is not a tree.
The traditional symbolic meanings of the tree include:
* both the giver and manifestation
* the synthesis of heaven, earth and water
* nourishment, shelter, support".
Sculpture feature
The stainless steel sculpture is the central focus of the fountain, taking its form from an inverted red gum tree root system. River red gums proliferate along the banks of the Werribee River. The fountain component of the work features a series of vertical streams flowing from the tree root branches.
The characteristics of the sculpture's design complement the modernist lines of the adjacent Wyndham Community Cultural Centre, thereby celebrateing the interface of build and organic environments. The viewer's eye is led from the Cultural Centre to the River Walk at the end of Wedge Street, to the Werribee River beyond.
Mosaic
The mosaic surrounding the sculpture suggests that the tree is encircled by water. The domed base, whilst seerving as the sculpture's plinth, depicts a radiating series of branches, gently corrugated by a series of three ripples. Patterning and colouring of the vascular branches, emanating from the base of the sculpture, represent the rich and complex indigenous heritage of the region. Water areas of the mosaic were rendered using a range of blue, green and gold hues from the Werribee River.
The design of the mosaic can be read as:
* A watery reflection of the root structure above it;
* A view of the sculpture as a tree seen from underwater;
* A Stylised representation of sections of the Werribee River and its tributaries, seen from an aerial perspective.
- details from Wyndham City Council's Information Sheet.
and Web site:
www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/experience/artsculture/art/experie...
Additional Information from:
www.hbmosaics.com/mosaic.php?mosaic_id=46
Artists: Helen Bodycomb & René Schaefer
2.3 metre sculpture, base 4 metre diameter stainless steel, vitrified Italian mosaic glass, unglazed ceramic, hydraulics.
This major work is situated on a traffic roundabout, adjacent to the Werribee Cultural Centre. The sculpture respresents the up-turned Red Gum Tree, the mosaic expresses water rings which are also evocative of local indigenous symbols. Mosaic Assistance - Glenn Romanis, Sculpture - Chris Rak, Hydraulics - PL Fountains, 2000 City of Wyndham.
Chris Rak's web site has a different, report on this work:
www.chrisrak.com/projects/stump/
He titles his contribution to the work as 'Stump' - Stainless Steel, City of Wyndham, Victoria (In collaboration with Helen Bodycomb).