Wollongong’s Danny Ivanovski will pay homage to a little-known chapter of the Illawarra’s natural history. Image: Danny Ivanovski.
In the mid to late 19th Century, towering red cedar trees grew all around the Illawarra and South Coast. With some recorded at 40 m high and 3 m in diameter, these arboricultural marvels grew to majestic proportions.
Alas, in the years between then and now, the vast majority were cut down for the building trade and land clearing. As a result, the species neared extinction in the region.
When Wollongong artist Danny Ivanovski stumbled on this piece of local history, it inspired the concept for his entry in this year’s Sculpture in the Garden competition, which attracted more than 60 quality submissions.
Danny’s new work In Memory of Red Cedar is among 17 chosen by the Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong exhibition selection panel to go on show at Wollongong Botanic Garden in April next year.
From these will emerge the botanic garden’s next permanent piece of artwork.
In Memory of Red Cedar will be a replica red cedar tree stump made of mild steel (unrefined iron) measuring about 750 mm in both height and diameter. About a month before the work is due to be exhibited, it will be left exposed to the elements to develop a rusty patina to reflect the likeness of the red cedar.
Danny, who tied for the People’s Choice Award in the last competition for his work Memorial for Blacksummer, says the work finds a natural home at Wollongong Botanic Garden.
“I see the botanic gardens as a site for education about our region’s local flora and fauna. Because there is not a lot of knowledge in the public sphere about the mighty red trees that once grew here, I wanted to contribute that knowledge to the garden’s environment,” he says.
“It’s a safe haven for our biodiversity and education, and this work is my contribution to that.”
Memorial for Black Summer featured stainless steel halfpipes in six tree-like forms, each representing one million hectares burnt in NSW during the disaster. On the surface, over four months of full-time work, artist Danny Ivanovski engraved the names of victims, plant and animal species and towns that fell victim to the fires. Photo: Danny Ivanovski.
Applications for the bi-annual Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong competition were open to artists living anywhere in Australia, with a selection panel that included curators Daniel Mudie Cunningham and Sophie O’Brien.
Eleven artworks are in the running for the $30,000 Acquisitive Prize, and six are up for consideration for the first ever Ephemeral Prize. The inaugural $10,000 prize is targeted at artists who use organic and non-durable materials for their works. Artists in this category were chosen based on how their sculptural proposal responded directly to the Wollongong Botanic Garden site.
A $3000 People’s Choice Award brings the total prize pool for the biennial exhibition to $43,000.
Danny Ivanovski has started work on his piece In memory of Red Cedar. Photo: Danny Ivanovski.
Alongside Danny’s, visitors will see works from Mark Cuthbertson, Glenn Barkley, Jenny Reddin, S A Adair, David Doyle, Robyn Rumpf, Gary Christian, Dr Virginia Keft (Muruwarri), Mechellebee Bounpraseuth, Leen Rampe, Virge Nielsen, Chris Wilson, Damien Butler, Fe Heffernan, Angela Forrest, Stephanie Quirk and Bianca Hester throughout April 2025.
The list of artists also includes sculptor in residence Greer Taylor who will work on-site throughout the exhibition building her work –Translucence. Visitors to the garden will have the opportunity to work directly with Greer and contribute to her “growing” site-specific work.
There will also be a free inclusive public program running alongside the exhibition for schools, families and individuals. This will include artists’ walk-and-talks, workshops, interactive sculpture building, a kids exhibition catalogue with activities, after-dark nocturnal walks and buggy tours.
Lord Mayor of Wollongong Tania Brown says the opportunity to engage with artworks in a beautiful natural environment within the botanic garden makes the biennial exhibition a must-see.
“Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong is such a special thing to see because it combines the many benefits of being outdoors and experiencing nature, while also being inspired by the engaging work of the many talented artists whose work will be on display,” she says.
“It allows a diverse range of people of all ages, who may not typically experience the joy of art and creativity in a gallery setting, to be inspired as part of their everyday enjoyment of our beautiful botanic garden.”
The Sculpture in the Garden exhibition takes place at the botanic garden from 1 to 30 April 2025.
Loading ...
