Threshold
Artist: Louise Lavarack
Year: 2006
Location: Barnes Road Bridge, Barnes Road, Altona North
Materials: Painted steel
Description
Threshold consists of two groupings of precisely aligned poles standing on either side of Kororoit Creek just upstream from Barnes Road Bridge. Each group is laid out in a square grid.
On the east bank the grid consists of five rows of five poles at two metre spacings, each pole 90 x 90mm square. On the west bank the grid has nine rows of nine poles at one metre spacings, each pole 50 x 50 mm square. All poles are approximately four metres high with the tops of both groups horizontally aligned across the creek.
“The individual banded poles suggest flood markers or the segmented stems of the nearby reeds. The paired groupings of poles emphasise the idea of ‘gateposts’ marking the point of transition between the relative enclosure of the creek’s shallow valley and its wide floodplain nearer the bay.
Threshold operates on both experiential and intellectual levels to playfully engage the viewer, and to respectfully honour a particular place, its character and natural history.” Louise Lavarack
About the artist
The primary focus of Lavarack’s art practice is on producing large-scale sculptural installations for public plazas, foyers, parkland, foreshores, and other landscape sites. Lavarack’s work comprises temporary installations and privately owned works. Permanent work can be viewed in various locations around Melbourne including:
Ebb Flow in Edenbrook Estate, Pakenham
New Order in Sparta Lane, Brunswick
Cloud in Howitt St, Warragul
Sightline at Frankston Pier and forecourt.
www.louiselavarack.com.au