Resilient artwork captures flood memories

Published on 27 August 2019

Residents who were impacted by last year’s flood event are invited to contribute to an artwork that will celebrate the resilience of the South Hobart community.

Commemorating the May 2018 flood event, the artwork titled Rain Coming will be located within Linear Park and feature a series of sculptures representing a family of black cockatoos.

“Many believe that when the black cockatoos fly down from the mountain, it is a sign that rain is on its way,” artist Alex Miles said. “The sculpture will feature an abstract portrayal of a family of black cockatoos flying down the hill and landing in Linear Park, where flood levels were at an extreme.”

The artwork is part of the City of Hobart’s Resilient Hobart program, which is assisting the ongoing flood recovery effort through projects that connect and strengthen the South Hobart community.

Residents who were impacted by the flood event are invited to contribute to the art project by sharing their memories and experiences.

Postcard-style submission forms will be located at participating businesses in South Hobart. Residents can also contribute their responses through the Your Say Hobart webpage. Ms Miles said a selection of responses would be incorporated into the artwork.

“Words will be sand-blasted into fragmented paving, representing the shared experiences of residents,” she said. “But all responses will be displayed publicly on the Your Say Hobart webpage and in shop windows in South Hobart.”

Submissions for the project will close at the end of September and the sculptures are expected to be installed by December. This project has been jointly funded by the Australian and Tasmanian Governments under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements. For more information on Rain Coming and how to be involved, visit yoursay.hobartcity.com.au/rain-coming.