Ngalamba 2023
Commissioned by the Mornington Peninsula Shire, in consultation with Bunuroung elders.
Location: Napier Street, Rye
Materials: Stainless steel
Both schematic and organic, the sculpture celebrates the local Bunurong people’s connection to country.
Inspired by the life cyle of the leptospermum laevigatum – the coast tea tree, an indigenous species of the sand belt region.
From seed and sapling, to its fully grown twisted, knotted and sinuous limbs and later the polished driftwood, amorphic and grey.
Nods to the rise and fall of the moon in the sky as the season’s pass and traditional milestones during the year – fire, long days and eels in summer, snapper in November, rain and long nights in deep winter.
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“The new public artwork, titled Ngalamba: to stop and wait a while, has seen a ‘living wall’ come to life in Napier Street, Rye.
With metal wall sculptures and native plants, the work of art tells the story of Bunurong’s five seasons. It is produced by artists David Wood of Bent Metal, Daniel van de Wiel of It Stands Out and Shanai Kellett of Maloga Art.
The story revealed in this design will inform future generations on the importance of conserving indigenous species of the local sand belt region. The Five Seasons Bullarto n’yoweenth (Summer 1) Wygabil-ny-wein (Summer 2) Manemit (Autumn) Perin (Winter) Pareip (Spring).
This project has been developed in close consultation with the Bunurong Land Council and is supported by locally sourced sand belt plants from the Willum Warrain Aboriginal Bush Nursery.
The endeavor is made possible through matching funding from the Shire, provided by the Living Local Suburban Grants Program, in collaboration with the Victorian Government Department of Jobs, Precincts, and Regions, along with the Art, Culture, and Community Department.”
Mornington Peninsula Shire.