Helmet / 2001-2009
Banksia Gateway Sculpture Heide Museum Precinct
PUBLIC ART
Helmet is a fusion of landscape and sculpture that engages with its site and context, both physical and historical. Helmet functions as a sculpture, gateway, faceted landform and screen. It is an object in the field, a billboard and a device for seeing and being seen. The most important reference for the conception of Helmet is the imagery from the Ned Kelly series by Sidney Nolan, painted nearby on the dining room table of Sunday and John Reed’s home, Heide. Helmet was a collaborative project with Cassandra Chilton.
Tanya Court & Cassandra Chilton Helmet steel and sculptured lawn Banksia Gateway Sculpture Project Manningham City Council Photographer: John Gollings 2008 © John Gollings, Tanya Court & Cassandra Chilton
Tanya Court & Cassandra Chilton Helmet steel and sculptured lawn Banksia Gateway Sculpture Project Manningham City Council Photographer: John Gollings 2008 © John Gollings, Tanya Court & Cassandra Chilton
Photo: Dianna Snape
Unfolding and dynamic forms viewed from various angles was important to allow for varied experiences. Photo: Dianna Snape
Photo: Dianna Snape
Photo: Dianna Snape
Since the completion of the sculpture, we have observed that it has a presence on social media. These images come from a Flickr user, Clement Tang. He says “This was taken in my car while waiting for the red light to turn green. Here the dark blue sky is about to turn bright while the street lights impart an “orangish” colour on the pavement. The overall effect is intriguing: you almost feel as if Ned Kelly is peeping through the long slit of the Helmet.” This is a new type of engagement not considered during design, but one we have welcomed.
Photo: Clement Tang
Photo: Cassandra Chilton