Local waterways and an Indigenous pathway from the Southern Highlands to the sea have inspired a metal archway installation in the heart of Calderwood, a suburb in the City of Shellharbour.
Standing tall at Calderwood District Park, Interconnection is a collaborative project by South Coast contemporary sculptor Jen Mallinson and First Nations artist Richard Campbell.
Commissioned by Lendlease to design the sculpture more than two years ago, Jen was eager to collaborate with Richard to create an artwork representing the area’s ancient environment and Indigenous history.
“When I saw the [proposed] location of the Calderwood sculpture and I realised that the ancient Indigenous path that came down from the highlands to the coast went right through that area, that was quite a significant thing,” Jen said.
“That informed the overall shape and the intertwining shape of all of the arches coming together with its embracing motion… and then it also references some of the plants and animals that are there at Calderwood and [that] have been there.
“One of the arches is specific to the path – [also the] animal tracks – and it references the Macquarie Rivulet [which] is actually geographically correct on that archway, and there's a big spot that represents where the park at Calderwood actually is in relation to the river [with] a graphic representation of the ancient pathway going down there as well.
“I wanted something that paid homage to the people that lived there in the past and also recognise the new people coming to the area; the people that called Calderwood home, basically, past, present and future.”
Carved out of the three nine-metre-long triangular arches is an abundance of native flora and fauna illustrated by Richard Campbell.
“The brief was… about maintaining the cultural significance of Calderwood, and the waterways that surround that place,” Richard said.
“[The illustrations] are all the totems of the area. You’ve got the Gymea lily on there; you’ve got the lyrebird; you’ve got the Mugadaang, the goanas; then you’ve got the Gunyung, the swans; and the ducks.
“You’ve got the kangaroo and the emu there, which captivate one of the main totems of the Illawarrra here too.”
The design and installation process took 18 months and seeing Interconnection unveiled in mid-February was momentous for both Jen and Richard, who hope the community take the opportunity to embrace the sculpture’s symbolism.
“I hope that it becomes like a well-loved landmark, because where it is at the roundabout, I think a lot of people drive past, and I hope that it creates intrigue and invites people to go into the park and take a closer look and show their children, because it could be a bit of a game too – like what animals their children can see in the sculpture,” Jen said.
“I just want [visitors] to take [away that] our people once worked and lived on this country for 65,000 years by ourselves, and they maintained and looked after Mother Earth. Now we all share it together as one, we've got to walk together as one, talk together as one and look after Mother Earth for another 65,000 years together,” Richard said.
Feeling inspired? Read more in Follow a trail of public art through Wollongong
