Highlights
Three new and exciting public artworks are planned for the Leichhardt Precinct. These are part of a series of public art installations planned under NSW Government’s Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Program (PRUAIP).
These three key sites form a trio in the newly upgraded precinct, and are all within a 100 metre range of one another. The artworks create a new sense of place across one of the oldest roadways in Australia. You can view the three projects here:
Background
PRUAIP is a $198 million initiative funded by the NSW Government to improve open space and active transport links along the Parramatta Road corridor. Inner West Council is one of six Councils including Strathfield, Burwood, Canada Bay, Parramatta and Cumberland delivering a total of 32 projects in and around Parramatta Road. This is part of the government’s commitment to revitalising precincts between the Inner west and Parramatta.
See here for more information on the Parramatta Road Urban Amenity Improvement Program
A collaborative artwork honouring First Nations culture and language.
Artist: Lucy Simpson
Location: Yirran Gumal Early Learning Centre, Steel Park, Marrickville
Restoration and interpretation of a historic monument, blending heritage and contemporary design.
Artist: Pater Corlett and Darien Pullen
Location: Marrickville Town Hall
Patrick O'Rourke
This mural was commissioned in the wake of the Rozelle Fire which devastated the local community of Rozelle in 2015. Artist Patrick O'Rourke met with family members, locals and business owners affected by the tragedy, in order to design a large scale mural on the hoardings around the sites flattened by the fire. This was a temporary work which came down when the replacement buildings were erected.
- Site: Corner Nelson and Darling Streets, Rozelle
- Artist: Patrick O'Rourke and the Rozelle community
Jimmy Rix
A permanent memorial was erected to commemorate the Rozelle Fire which saw the loss of life, and deeply affected many in the community. Jimmy Rix was invited to design a work in steel, which would permanently mark this tragic event, and he used the motifs of hearts, indicating the love and support of the Rozelle community at this time, and the boat to indicate the journey towards everlasting life.
- Site: Nelson Street, Rozelle
- Artist: Jimmy Rix
Sculptural works created from recycled trees, promoting sustainability and creativity.
Artist: Graham Chalcroft
Location: Canal Road, Lilyfield (beside the City West Link)
A colourful mosaic celebrating local flora, fauna, and waterways.
Leading artist: Noula Diamantopoulos and April Keogh
Location: Hawthorne Canal, Leichhardt
Hawthorne Canal Mosaic Mural was an Artist led project and collaboration between community volunteers, Railcorp, Leichhardt Council, and community groups. Led by Artists Noula Diamantopoulos and April Keogh, it commenced in 2005 and was completed in 2011. Volunteers aged from 4 to 75 worked on the project contributing over 5,000 hours of time creatively placing over 475,000 mosaic on its walls. Before it was installed this tunnel was miserable, dark and vandalised. Now it is a glowing example of community art and best practice community safety intervention.
44 Mosaic panels are located in a 112 square metre pedestrian tunnel located near Hawthorne Canal in Leichhardt. The tunnel leads from Lords Road, Leichhardt (adjacent to Kegworth Public School under the Rozelle Goods Line) to the Hawthorne Canal footpath network.
Take a walk or hop on your bike to see the Hawthorne Canal community artwork for yourself.
Participants included: Kegworth Public, St Fiacres Primary, St Columbus Primary, St Joan of Arc Primary, Leichhardt Public School, and the Leichhardt Campus of Sydney Secondary College. Sydney College of the Arts were also involved with the Ceramics Department stepping in and firing the many of the ceramic sea creatures. The Department developed a new kiln firing technique for the artwork, using recycled glass to form the seaweed. Community mosaic sessions ran at Noula Diamantopoulos' studio in Rozelle for over three and a half years.
