Do you notice street sculptures when in an urban landscape?
I love them!
If I’m in the city, it usually means I’m on a quest –
My head-space is pre-occupied as I focus on:
- where I’ve got to get to
- when I’ve got to be there by, and
- what I’ve got to do once there…
…busy, busy… oblivious to my physical surrounds… until I come across something like this…
Something unexpected to stop me in my tracks and take stock of the moment.
Here I am in Brisbane, Queensland about to attend a business meeting and just down from Customs House in Eagle Street lying relaxed on the pavement is this hand. I halt my scurrying and look up to see this other hand pointing skyward – what better way to be brought back down to earth.
‘Chat’ by Sebastian Di Mauro
‘Chat’ by Sebastian Di Mauro
Coming across random works of art, that have nothing to do with where my brain is at at that moment in time is well… uplifting 🙂
Onward after the first meeting of the day, I head on down Eagle Street and into Mary Street where, on the corner of Felix Street I’m greeted by the street sculpture Felix by Terry Summers –
You can either say ‘Hi’ personally…
…or maybe give him a call on his mobile? 😉
Going on up Queen Street Mall, Brisbane a feather sculpture is seemingly floating down to earth… It makes me think of Forrest Gump and his Mamma’s infamous statement…
“Life’s a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
At the top of the Mall, in front of the Casino are 15 Spheres of Steam, a street sculpture by Donna Marcus, which are made from 7,000 steamers!
At night they are lit up.
And who said you don’t see kangaroos hopping down the High Street in Australia?
This kanga was made by Christopher Trotter
Have you seen any street sculptures (public artworks) that have made you look twice?
Stopped you for a moment from going about your daily business?
Or maybe simply smile?
Where?
Editor’s Note: I spotted some hidden street sculptures in Brisbane last time I was there – a few gems if you take the time to look up a few lamp posts!
Post Script: In response to this post my Facebook friends submitted sculptures they’d come across from around the world ~
Click here to see what they’ve seen & where 🙂
I remember when one of those sculptures was named after a footy player for a bit!
These make me homesick for my home state! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Yes it was referred to as the Hopoate for a while, for reasons I’ll not go into here, despite the fact he did go into it 😉
Must be some street sculptures in and around where you currently live Sally, that inspire and uplift?
Post Script: December 2011 This sculpture was vandalised so removed for repairs. Whilst being returned when repairs are complete its future in that location may not be forever due to an upgrade of the ground floor area of the building in 2012.
These sculptures are amazing! As you said, what better way to be woken up from a daydream than stumble upon someone’s creativity?
The hands are my favourite 😉
Hands are so expressive ~
And isn’t it great that a city’s council invests in works that brightens the day and adds to lives of its occupants 🙂
Yeah I’m an Aussie too. So it rings loud and clear. The homesickness and ‘The Finger’ 😉
LOL 🙂
I had a comment from May King on Twitter who said: “The pics made me smile whilst at the same time thinking “I live there! It’s beautiful!!”
Its funny how when we ‘live somewhere’ we override observing our surroundings in the same way as we do when our time in a place is finite and we’re a ‘tourist’, which is of course why we love travelling. It opens our eyes ~
I love being what I call a ‘tourist on my home turf’ 😉
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Cool photos! I love street art. I think I remember coming across those metal kangaroos there last year.
I love street art too – As you can most probably tell LOL
The kangaroos are up in George Street. Not far down from the Casino Building (which you can see in the background of the top photo)
There used to be a kangaroo lounging on the seat bench there too… Not sure where he’s disappeared to 🙁
It’s quite refreshing to come across these – they’ve been slowly appearing over the years. I think it was in 2000 that I encountered my first, a human form at (I think) Albert and Charlotte streets corner. I don’t get into the city so much now, but I’ll go and look at the ‘Spheres of Steam’.
No wonder we love Brisbane!
I know the one you mean Desolie – a wispy, striding out ‘character’ – If I’m right it’s this one called ‘Pride’ by Grant Lehmann (1999) ~
I can see I’ve I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg in this post as I walked from one side of the city to the other –
I think another sculpture walking post of Brisbane is in order 🙂
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I don’t stop and smell the roses enough. You’ve just reminded me to take note of my surroundings a little more. Thank you Linda.
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Its why holidays are so amazing as we actually take the time to look around and notice the details of what surrounds us as we’re seeing it all for the first time –
I’m a great advocate of travelling on my home turf so when going on a mandatory trip to the supermarket I endeavor to see it through travellers eyes..
Its surprising what you notice 😉