Don visited Werribee Park in Victoria, to view works by finalists in the fourth Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award. Many of Australia’s most talented sculptors competed for an $80,000 cash scholarship and a $25,000 professional development package
Helen Lempriere (1907-1991)
Renowned artist Helen Lempriere was a niece of Dame Nelly Melba. She used very dark colours in her paintings, which were done in a life-like style. Most were painted between 1930 and 1970. She also created a number of sculptures, made prints, painted watercolours and made many pencil sketches of birds and animals. During extended periods overseas she produced many paintings addressing issues of Australian national identity, through references to Aboriginal themes and narratives. Helen Lempriere died in 1991. The Helen Lempriere Bequest provides funding for the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, which is dedicated to the advancement of Australian sculptors.
Finalists featured in our segment:Gerard McCourt
Shift 2002-03
digital prints, galvanised steel, aluminium
230 x 115 x 10 cm
Arthur Wicks
Surface Tension 2004
Aluminium, mini orb sheeting, huon, kingbilly & radiata pine, solar cell, programmable logical controllers, batteries, truck windscreen wiper motor, bearings, stainless wire, remote sensors, solar panel
100 x 100 x 1300 cm
Solar panel 150 x 90 cm
Richard Goodwin
Prosthetic Apartment B 2004
Timber, stainless steel, synthetic cloth
1750 x 200 x 350 cm
2004 prize winner
The winning artist was Richard Goodwin, for his sculpture ‘Prosthetic Apartment B’. The sculpture incorporates a rowing scull and is said to be an ongoing dialogue between human endeavour and the built environment. The scull bears the letters ‘SIEV X’, standing for ‘Special Illegal Entry Vessel X’ and referring to an incident in October 2001 when 353 asylum seekers drowned when their fishing boat sank en route to Australia from Indonesia. Goodwin’s sculpture will be a permanent feature at Werribee Park, along with winning entries from previous years.
Werribee Park
Werribee Park covers 140 hectares and is run by Parks Victoria. The 60-room mansion was constructed between 1874 and 1877 by Scottish brothers, Thomas and Andrew Chirnside. It was used by the Catholic Church from 1922, and then purchased by the Victorian State Government in the 1970s. Described as ‘Italianate’ in design, it is the largest private mansion of that era constructed in Victoria. It has been restored to its original splendour and now incorporates a hotel.
There are 10 hectares of historic formal gardens around the mansion, including 100 year-old heritage-listed trees, a parterre garden, one of Australia’s last surviving grottos and an ornamental lake. The little grotto was built by the Chirnsides and was used for family picnics.
Further information
Werribee Park is open every day except Christmas Day
Opening hours:
November – April, 10:00am – 4:45pm daily
May – October, 10:00am – 3:45pm weekdays, 10:00am – 4:45pm weekends
Admission:
$11 adult, $6.50 concession, $5.50 children
Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award
March 1 – May 9, 2004 (normal admission to Werribee Park applies)
The Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award Office
C/- Robertson Arts Projects
67 Flinders Lane
Melbourne Vic 3000
Phone: (03) 9654 0299
Fax: (03) 9654 0399
Web: www.lempriereaward.com.au