Public Art in Perth 4

After my post on the Queen Concert in Perth, I'm back with some more interesting sculptures around our city.

Grow your own - Forrest Chase (CBD)

One of the most eye-catching sculptures in Perth must surely be the "Green Cactus", by Perth artist James Angus, who won the honour of designing this statue in an International competition with  202 other contestants.
"Grow your own" refers to the organic farming movement of the early 20th Century when Modernist sculpture began.
The art work which cost $1 million, was at first not too well accepted by the public due to it's cost, but I think slowly it's becoming a loved landmark in the newly renovated Forrest Chase area, and a playful addition to the square.
The statue which is 6,5mt high, 11 mt long and 3mt wide, appears to change shape depending on where you are in relation to it.

 

The Strike (Miners) - Perth Mint, 310 Hay Street, East Perth

The statue of the first two prospectors to hit gold in  September 1892, near the town of Coolgardie - William Ford and Arthur Bayley.
This statue at the entrance to the Perth Mint, which was established in 1899 to deal with the wealth that gold brought to the State of Western Australia.
The bronze statue is life sized and were sculpted in 1991 by Perth sculptor Greg James.

Perth Gold Mint

   
Foosteps in Time - St Martin's Centre, 40/50 Hay Street, Perth

Unveiled in 2004, and commemorating the 175th Anniversary of Western Australia, this group of statues symbolize the business people that built the thriving Perth CBD from the Dutch explorers in 1697 to the Millenium man in 2004.
The sculptors are the talented duo Joan Walsh-Smith and Charles Smith (Also the sculptors of the Kangaroo statues in Stirling Gardens and the HMAS Sydney Memorial in Geraldton and Percy Button statue.

Dutch Explorer

Discovery of Gold

Millenium Man

 

People in the city - Central Park, Corner Hay and William Street

Sculpted by Anne Neil in 1999, (who was also the sculptor of the Pen Nibs and the Going Home kangaroos) a group of men, women and children walk to the city.

Tree of Life - Hay Street

This stylised metal tree, by West Australian sculptor Rod Laws, is right next to Wesley Church on Hay Street in the CBD. It's 1 metre tall, and represents the prayers of peace from the children of CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) which was held in Perth in October 2011. Each leaf has the name of the country whose representative visited the conference.

Arch - Corner James and Lake Street, Northbridge

By sculpor Lorenna Grant, inaugurated in 2010, this 8mt high arch painted in a black and white harlequin pattern, sits in the middle of a roundabout in the Northbridge Piazza, a public space where outdoor movies and concerts are held.

A few more to follow in the next post, hope you enjoyed some of the serious, wacky and wonderful statues of Perth!