Sculpture walks

Recently, 3 outdoor sculpture exhibitions took place in Sydney and in the Hunter Valley and they could not be set in more different backdrops - in a cemetery, by the sea and in vineyards. 

The gratuitous exhibitions provided me invaluable opportunities to explore new areas and familiar grounds and in conjunction, look at sculptures in the open. It was interesting to see not only the artworks, but also how people responded to them. Much as I have learnt to appreciate arts as they are, sometimes I still could not help but roll my eyes and think, as Iain put it, "Huh? I could have done that myself.". All 3 exhibitions gave out awards to artists - one would be judged by a professional panel and the other, as voted by visitors. Not surprisingly, what the professionals thought were the best may not turn out as most loved by the masses. What do you think of the judges' and people's choices?

HIDDEN 2013

At 285 hectares, Rookwood Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the Southern Hemisphere, catering to 90 denominations. The land was originally used by free settlers in the New South Wales colony in 1790s until when it became a private property of Edward Cohen (a mayor of Melbourne) and later offered to the government as a cemetery ground in 1861 when the burial site at the current Sydney Town Hall ran of space. (Source: www.rookwoodcemetery.com.au)

Since 2009, Rookwood General Cemetery Trust has used various sites in the cemetery and invited artists to put together installations that explore the notion of mortality and its related themes such as life, love, death, loss and memory. The Trust hopes to "support the art community, whilst encouraging members of the public to re-familiarise themselves with Rookwood and its significance in our heritage and our future". (Source: www.rookwoodcemetery.com.au) The event is titled HIDDEN and this year, it was curated by Cassandra Hard Lawrie.

This is the first time I have visited Rookwood. While driving, I missed a HIDDEN banner near a roundabout (pardon the pun - but the HIDDEN banner was not hidden), got lost and went wondering about amongst the Jewish tombs and Italian vaults. 

I finally found my way to the sculpture walk held near the All Souls Chapel. 40 sculptures were nestled in an area that encompassed old American War Graves and other older areas of the Anglican cemetery site. 

Unlike most of the outdoor sculpture exhibitions I have been, HIDDEN 2013 had a number of small sculptures.

Clytie by Sandy Bliim

In Loving Memory by Mark Aylward and Helen Stronach

Shoot by Ad Long

Some of the installations were interactive. In Guardian Angels, for example, Judith Kirby wanted to "explore the idea of memoriam and our yearning to mark and record the passing of people who touch our lives". Small sculptures of angels were placed around old American war stones of Civil War veterans, facing various directions. Visitors were invited to take one of the angel sculptures, place them in another spot on the grounds and post a picture on a facebook page dedicated for this. I think Kirby was most impressed by some visitors who turned all the angels to face the rising sun.

Foreground: Guardian Angels by Judith Kirby
Background: Gate by Neil Laredo

This year's Rookwood Necropolis Sculpture Award went to Stevie Fieldsend for his response to the time spent with his father and his sudden death. Made of wood, glass and metal, he explored "how grief manifests itself and resides in the body".

Solve et Coagula by Stevie Fieldsend
Winner of the Rockwood Necropolis Sculpture Award 2013

Clean Washing by Jane Burton Taylor

My favourite installation was Clean Washing by Jane Burton Taylor.

Taylor sourced handkerchiefs, hand printed images of cosmic events on them and hung them on a Hills Hoist. She wanted to remind people of "the everyday reality of death, it happens in our own backyard and the cleansing power of the grieving process".

I sat under the Hills Hoist with mixed emotions as it turned round and round in the wind. Was it the wind that blew the tears away or was it the sun that made them evaporate?

Rainbow lorikeet

While at Rookwood, I made a visit to the war graves, where those who died as the result of service of armed forces and proper commemoration could not be given were honoured in the Garden of Remembrance. 400,000 and 1 million had served in the Australian Armed Forces during World Wars I and II respectively. 62,000 of them died in the first world war and 40,500 in the second.

Garden of Remembrance

I thought I was alone in the Garden but accidentally spotted a kookaburra as I looked up to the sky. It was a very special moment.

Laughing Kookaburra

Sculpture by the Sea 2013

I have always loved the Eastern Suburbs for its proximity to the sea and the Hawkesbury sandstone cliffs from the Triassic period some 20 million years ago. 

The Sculpture by the Sea was founded by David Handley in 1997 to provide a free and accessible visual arts events to the public. Spanning between the beautiful landscape between Tamara Beach and Bondi Beach, it has since become an annual event and also expanded to sister exhibitions in Cottesloe, Perth and Aarhus, Denmark. (Source: www.sculpturebythesea.com)

L: Crowd on a sunny day R: It's for the kids too

Sculptures and sunbathers at Tamara Beach

The sculpture walk has so successfully brought art to people of all generations that it is getting more popular and crowded every year. This year, to avoid the crowd and to catch the sunrise, I went to the beach at 5am. Unfortunately for me, a storm was developing and with low clouds, I was unable to capture the typical "sun pops out from below the horizon" moment. However, the blessing in disguise was - the imminent bad weather made the pictures look more dramatic, even when I was using my simple point-and-shoot camera.

There were about 100 sculptures. Just like previous years, many of the artists made use of the existing elements as part of their installations.

shared weight by Elyssa Skyes-Smith 

the great bondi sharehouse by Magarita Sampson

coral by Coral Collective

(coral looked more like the flowers that bloomed in the bushes on the cliffs to me.)

Not a sculpture

There were some similar but contrasting ideas.

L: there's many a slip by Ken Unsworth R: diminish and ascend by David McCracken

girl pointing by Matt Calvert

the museum by Paul Selwood

washed up by Tunni Kraus
mourned the asylum seekers
who never made it to the Australian shores  

I especially loved the dog from fetch in the bottom right of the picture below, with its legs in the sand.

fetch by The Winged Collective

L: ephemeral aura by Thomas Muray and Nicole Larkin R: moment of clarity by David Hashimoto

bubble no:5 by Qian Sihua

The Sculpture Prize was awarded to Stephen King for his wooden sculpture fallout.

L: returning to the sea by Peter Lundberg R: fallout by Stephen King

The most popular sculpture accolade went to horizon by Lucy Humphrey. Set on top of a cliff, a 2-tonne, 1.5-metre diameter, hollow acrylic sphere held 1800 litres of tap water and turned the world upside down. It reminded me of the snow globes Bing Seng gave us each time he came back from his overseas trips.

horizon by Lucy Humphrey

Sculpture in the Vineyards 2013

Sculpture in the Vineyards takes place along the Wollombi Valley Wine Trail. The word "Wollombi" was derived from the Aboriginal meaning “a meeting of waters, a meeting place, a meeting of people” (Source: Wollombi community notice board) and the area used to be the ceremonial meeting place for local Aboriginal tribes. (Source: http://www.visitwollombi.com.au) The exhibition seeks to showcase sculptures "of distinguished practitioners as well as experimental and emerging artists" and boutique wines. It also hopes to introduce the public to historically significant Aboriginal engravings and the scenic Great North Road which was built by convicts between 1826 and 1836. (Source: www.sculptureinthevineyards.com.au) This year, 100 large-scaled sculptures were featured across 4 vineyards. 

The 130km drive took me 2 hours and it was tiring, scary and lonely.

Figure in Landscape by Time Kyle

Wrought Iron Rocking Horse by Tobias Bennett

Spring Flowers by Ludwig Micek

Join me for a cup of tea by Students of Hurlstone Agriculture HIgh School, Margo Gabsi and Jo Ross
(The teacup says "It would be nice if something makes sense for a change")

Not a sculpture

Endangered Species by Claude Jones

L: Treedon R: To be free , both by Russell Travertine

A Poem for You by Anne Gaulton

Portal by Bronwyn Berman

For a dear friend who suggested 'Picture of the day' - wish we were sitting under the tree:

Sydney

I finally arrived in Australia, the 7th continent of this rtw trip, 11 months after I started travelling. The original plan was to arrive in Australia before going back to Asia. Things took a turn and for some time, I thought I would not be able to make it to Australia. I guess things happened for a reason and here I am!

This is not my first trip to Australia. Australia was the first country outside Asia that I have been to. I backpacked around Australia for a month after I graduated (in parts on my own and in parts with different groups of friends) and fell in love with Tasmania and Sydney. Years later, when I decided to take a break from work and everybody, I took off to Sydney and lived here for 5 years. When I returned from Sydney to Singapore, I wanted to go travel around the world. As it happened, I started with another job almost immediately. 

Everything came to a full cycle, with me finally started the rtw trip 1 year ago and ending up in Sydney again.

Syndey is on the east coast of Australia, with beautiful Sydney Harbour, iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House where the most aniticipated fireworks take place each New Year's Eve. Then there are Bondi and Manly Beaches just by the city and the Blue Mountains is only a 90-minute drive away. It is so famous that many think that it is the capital of Australia.

I met up with Keith from my Amazon and Galápagos trips and we did the coastal walk along the Eastern beaches. Hailed from London, he was impressed by the scenery and loved the sun and could understand why I am back in Sydney. The coastal walk is something I could do week after week after week. I never get bored - sometimes I see fishes jumping out of water, twisting in mid-air and reflecting the sunlight. It is almost like camera flashes going off in the middle of the sea. Whales and dolphins sometimes swim close to shore and so do sharks. Come Spring, there will be the Sculpture by the Sea. Spanning from Bondi to Tamarama, the coastal walk would be transformed into a 2km long temporary sculpture park featuring artists from Australia and across the world. (Source: http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/exhibitions/bondi.aspx) 

Waiting to go out to sea

Surf

People watching

Vivid Sydney took place in late May, where light installations and projections lit up buildings, Darling Harbour, Circular Quay and The Rocks.

Light projections on Customs House

Sydney Opera House with light projections

Winter came and I celebrated Christmas in July with my friends. 

A tiny ice skating rink in front of
Parramatta Town Hall

It is difficult to sum up why I love Sydney. Maybe it's the blue sky.  

Maybe it is the water. 

Whatever the case, it is a place I call home for the time being.

Honolulu II

Most people would associate Hawai'i with surf, sun, sand and the sea. Hawai'i is also home to the world's most active volcanoes and Maunakea, the world's tallest sea mountain (it is 13,796 ft above sea level or 33,500 ft measured from its oceanic base). O'ahu, where state capital Honululu is lcoated, was created 2.5 - 4 million years ago with volcanic eruptions from 2 shield volcanoes.  (Sources: www.gohawaii.com and brochure and signboards from Department of Land & Natural Resources) Beside the 4Ss, the hiking trails are definitely worth the visit.

Leahi

Waikiki and Diamond Head

More commonly known as Diamond Head, Leahi (which means "brow of tuna" in Hawaiian) is perhaps the most accessible trek in Honolulu. Leahi is a 760 feet tuff crater formed more than 300,000 years ago. In the early 1900s, Diamond Head was chosen as a fort because the crater walls were natural defence and from the lookout, ships from Koko Head to Pearl Harbour could be seen. Over the period 1908 to 1911, the US Army Corps of Engineers created a trail up the crater and built a 4-level observation post and military lookout, the Fire Control Station Diamond Head. (Source: www.hawaiistateparks.org)

99 steps

This easy trail includes two sets of stairs, totaling 175 steps, as well as dark, 225 feet long underground tunnels and old military bunkers.

Observation post for Fort Ruger

Diamond Head crater

Too many people

I enjoyed the walk to Diamond Head and the view from the top but not the walk up Diamond Head. It was very hot and too crowded for my liking.

Really too many people

From L: Waikiki Beach, Fire Control Station Diamond Head, Diamond Head crater

To get to Diamond Head, you can take bus 22 from Waikiki and stop at the University of Hawai'i, cross the road and walk up to the entrance to pay a $1 entrance fee. Otherwise, you can do what I did and walk forever from Waikiki beach, turn off at Monsarrat Avenue and then continue on Diamond Head Road to the entrance. It was really hot in January but I did see some timid Java sparrows, a really old Ford and some nice sceneries along the way.

Makiki Valley

I had wanted to go to the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve. Instead, my hotel concierge directed the taxi driver to Hawai'i Nature Centre in Makiki Valley. A part of the Hawai'i Trail and Access System or Nā Ala Hele (which means "trails to go on"), there are 18 linked trails in the area alone alone. The Makiki Valley watershed is bounded by Tantalus Drive ridge on the north and Round Top Drive ridge on the south (about 800-2,000 feet above sea level) and catches and collects rainwater. The rainwater replenishes the ground water supply and is used by Board of Water Supply to provide water to Honolulu's residents. (Sources: www.hawaiitrails.org and Hawaii Nature Centre signboards)

Since I was sent to Makiki, I thought I might as well take a walk in the area. I chose the Maunalaha Trail to connect to Ualaka'a Trail 'A' and then to a viewing point. The trails were very easy and gentle sloping but were either muddy and slippery or full of roots. 

Japanese white eye

Awww...

View of Waikiki from Makiki

Waikiki

Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve

From Makiki, I rang for a cab to bring me to Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve but none came. While waiting, I spied some parakeets:

A taxi driver who was walking a dog offered to send me there instead.

Taxi driver with dog

I stopped at the gate to Royal Hawaiian Golf Club and checked in with the very friendly and helpful guard (he could provide information about the history, geography and different treks in the area if you care to listen). From the entrance, I walked along the road until I reached a sign post on the left:

Walking on the really muddy trail and I soon passed by an eerie-looking house. 

The trees were more sparse and the well trodden path was drier and hotter as I ascended. The view got better too.

Very soon I reached some sections with ropes. I did not use the ropes because I trust myself to scramble up and slide down on the rocks more than the tree branches/ trunks that were going to hold my weight.

First peak

The roped sections led to narrow, rocky ridges and the peaks. There are 3 peaks on the Olomana Trail. The boulders on the first peak was slightly too big for me and I had to figure a way up with a bit of rock climbing. 
 

I did not proceed to the second and third peaks due to time constraint and also because some army dude on the trek told me it would be unwise for me to venture further on my own.

Of the 3 treks, I like the this one the most - it has a good mix of easy and challenging parts, a slight hint of danger at the top and the view is simply amazing.

2nd and 3rd peaks

360 degree view from 1st peak

I ran out of water while I descended. If the guard at the gate were to sell me a can of Pepsi (which I do not like) for US$10, I would readily buy it from him. This is a real business opportunity, Hawai'ians!

To get back to Waikiki, you could call a cab and hope that it comes or walk away from the golf course, cross the highway and take bus 56 or 57 (it costs only US$2.50!) to Ala Moana and from there, take a bus or taxi back to Waikiki.