HIDDEN Rookwood Sculpture Exhibition 2019

HIDDEN Rookwood Sculpture Exhibition 2019
Image: Fortress by Ro Murray and Mandy Burgess

Beginning this weekend four local Sydney artists will be given the unique opportunity to erect their sculptural works in perhaps one of the most unusual locations available in Sydney, the Rookwood Cemetery. HIDDEN is an annual event transforming the iconic cemetery into an open-air gallery which provides visitors a truly unique way to engage with and experience the cemetery grounds.

The four artists selected for the 11th annual event this year are; Lisa Tolcher, Ro Murray, Mandy Burgess, and Sylvia Griffin. Placing sculptural artworks within the grounds of a cemetery may seem unusual but when examining the works of these four ladies it actually appears to be a stroke of genius.

The works of Tolcher celebrate the heroic women of the past, particularly those buried within Rookwood, who have paved the way for future generations.

For the team of Murray and Burgess, who have been collaborating since 2015, they will be erecting Fortress, which is a mini forest of seven blackened trees surrounded by siren-yellow skirts. This life-and-death image is a stark reminder to address the causes of man-made climate change before we all end up in a cemetery.

Finally, Griffin’s work addresses trauma, memory and memorial culture. Her HIDDEN artwork, Slowly We Unravel, references death and the process of grief.

According to HIDDEN curator Kath Fries, “HIDDEN is a fantastic opportunity to engage Sydneysiders with the layered histories and current relevance of Rookwood as a working cemetery. The artists bring a diverse range of perspectives to the experiences and narratives of this unique place. HIDDEN invites the public to rediscover Rookwood through different eyes. Until someone attends a funeral at Rookwood, or has someone buried there, it’s a place that often goes unnoticed. Art and creative activities enable people to use the space in different ways and HIDDEN is just one of these.”

Sep 7-Oct 7. Rookwood Cemetery, 1 Hawthorne Ave, Rookwood. FREE. Info: www.hiddenrookwood.com.au

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