Every year the beach at Cottesloe is adorned with beautiful artworks for Sculptures by the Sea. I noticed a few interesting plant references in this year’s series of artworks, and (as a botanist) I couldn’t help but share a few of them!
Let’s start with ‘Indiana’ by Tania Spencer (left), which shows a beautiful wire depiction of Cottesloe’s Indiana Tea House dangling from a tree branch over the sea. I love how the delicate wire contrasts with the gnarly branches. Then we have ‘Germination’ by Mark Grey-Smith (right), which shows what I liked to think of as a seed with a very elaborate seed coat getting ready to germinate… I wonder what kind of dormancy alleviation and germination cues it has?
After seed germination and growth, we come to see a ‘Heap of Flowers’. This beautiful, wind-driven kinetic artwork by Richard Hammer was inspired by a group of everlastings. I loved to watch the colourful flowers dancing in the wind.
Then ‘Regrowth’ by Kevin Draper, shows us more of the ecology of native plants. Inspired by new foliage emerging from trees burnt from fire, it depicts epicormic sprouting of reddish leaves from the blackened bark.
And what do plants need? Water! Okay, this sculpture is maybe only tangentially related to plants, but I just loved this ‘Form of Water #1901’ by Toshio Iezumi (left)! How beautiful is that turquoise colour? And, while ‘Prickle’ by Voxlab (right) doesn’t look like any plant prickle I’ve ever seen, I think we can include it here, right? This infinity-shaped artwork is made from upcycled car panels.
Okay okay, again this one isn’t exactly botanical, but I just loved the bright colours and Dr-Suess-like form! These ‘Sea Anomalies 3’ by Merle Topsi Davis showcase the beauty of sea anemones (carnivorous marine animals, not plants!) using recycled materials.
Fun fact, sea anemones are named after a plant! The genus Anemone is a rather colourful group of flowering plants in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Anemone means ‘daughter of the wind’, giving the plants their common name ‘windflower’. So I guess this artwork is botanical (ish) after all!
While we’re here talking about things that aren’t plants, how beautiful is this black cockatoo inspired ‘Birds of a feather’ artwork by Ryan Shaw (left)? Black cockatoos are an endangered species which can often be seen (or at least heard) foraging in pockets of bushland throughout the city. To me, the wibbly effect on the feather sculpture, like ripples on the surface of a pond, remind me that the fate of cockatoos is ‘wibbly’ too, and depends on us to look after their habitat.
Next is the ‘Green Iron Man’ by Po-Chun Liu (right), which contrasts the industrial world and the natural world. And, on a slightly more silly note, the green iron man appears to have a bush for a … bush. Seriously though, such a cool artwork and I love that it incorporates living green-ness!
Last but not least… you’re heard of Sculptures by the Sea, but what about Banksia’s by the Bay? As I was leaving, I was delighted to stumble upon the Cottesloe Native Garden (up near the golf course). It’s full of native species like this glorious Banksia, and is cared for by the local community. Such a nice little refuge.
I loved all these artworks, and so many more that weren’t quite botanical enough to be included here… Did you go to Sculptures by the Sea this year? Which artwork was your fav?