artwork in the cloister

by Karin Riederer

If you’ve peered into the Abbotsford Convent courtyard this week – especially from Handsome Steve’s balcony – you might have noticed that a word has appeared in the lawn.

‘Heritage’, Joanne Mott’s site-specific artwork, is part of Masters at Monash Lingua Natura, the current C3 exhibition, and it will be growing until 18 October (after which the native grasses will be replanted elsewhere on the site).

Quite a few people have asked about the artwork, so here’s a bit of a backgrounder from Joanne about her concept:

HERITAGE

The word “heritage” has multiple interpretations, which I feel all warrant consideration:

1. The ancient heritage of the site; the indigenous history.

2. The recognition of the site as culturally significant and subsequently under restoration and maintained.

3. The sites current incarnation as a place for the development of culture, arts and community, with the possibility of building a sustainable future “heritage”.

TEXT

I chose to use text as the form of this work as it would operate in contrast with the inherent features of the garden space in question. The cursive font text refers to the European influence enacted in this garden space. The grace and form of the script references the filigree of a classic formal parterre. Parterres are another traditional feature of courtyard gardens.

They are composed of low ornamental plantings, designed specifically to be viewed down upon from upper levels of the surrounding buildings. The text would be most visible from the balcony, which operates architecturally as a position affording a view. It would also be discernable from the ground level, but in a far more abstracted and ambiguous way. It is intended that intrigue will be generated from one viewing position to experience it from another.

GRASS

The choice of plants refers to an older history. The use of indigenous grass overlaying exotic lawn portrays the “layers in the landscape” idea. The artwork makes the possibly spooky suggestion that the “nature” or the “landscape” is talking to us. The art work explicitly speaks of history but also points toward the future and ways of looking at our interconnection with nature, the environment, community and our heritage.

REMEMBER: You only have until 18 October to see it in situ.