Aside from its marvelous museums, my
favourite thing about our capital city is the easy, graceful manner in which it
cohabits with the natural world; perhaps more so than any major city I’ve ever
visited.
A favourite haunt was the NGA Sculpture
Garden, a haven of serenity:
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Auguste Rodin, Pierre de Wiessant, Eustache de Saint Pierre, Jean d'Aire and Andrieu d'Andres from
The burghers of Calais, 1985-86, cast 1967-84 |
One afternoon Shane and I stopped to admire two of Auguste Rodin’s nude studies for the Burghers of Calais, (c 1885-86, bronze, cast by Georges Rudier Foundry Paris, 1974).
Climbing the back of the lefthand figure at a rate of knots was this exquisite caterpillar:
Eagled-eyed Shane was the first to spot an extraordinary sight: a second caterpillar, semi-cocooned inside the mouth of the same figure. It’s a shame we won’t be around for its transformation into a butterfly and its maiden flight - an enchanting sight I’ll only ever get to see in my mind’s eye.
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Foreground, centre: Emile Bourdelle, Penelope, 1912 with feathered visitor;
Background: Mark de Suvero, ik ook ('me too') 1971-72 |
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Dadang Christanto, Heads from the North, 2004 (detail) See also image below
Background, centre: Henry Moore, Hill arches, 1973 |
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Only one waterlily was in bloom, but it was a beauty |
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Leaf litter |
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Burt Flugelman, Cones, 1982, stainless steel (detail) |
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Anthony Gormley, Angel of the North (life-size maquette), 1996, bronze
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On the steps of the National Library of Australia (the statue of the monkey to my
left commemorates the Chinese Year of the Monkey). Photo by Shane Jones |
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Connection to the natural world is reinforced by the above sculpture (foreground): Fire and Water by Judy Watson;
Sound designer: Michael Hewes |