Monday 5 March 2012

BENALLA CERAMIC MURAL

Benalla is a rural city of just over 9,000 people located just off the Hume Freeway in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, about 40 kilometres southwest of Wangaratta. Its Local Government Area is the Rural City of Benalla. The site was originally taken up as a pastoral run by the Reverend Joseph Docker in 1838 and called Benalta Run, from the Aboriginal word for Musk Duck. A town was laid out on the site in 1846.

The ceramic mural is a very special place alongside Lake Benalla, draws on elements of nature and has been called "the largest community artwork in Australia". The structure includes an amphitheatre, viewing platform and two sets of sound pipes ("thongaphones") for performances. The mural project started as a community arts project in 1983 under the auspices of Forum (now The Centre). Funding from the Australia Council Community Arts Board saw the appointment of Judy Lorraine as Artist-in-Residence. Further funding from the Commonwealth Government in 1985 enabled a workshop to be set up at the Benalla Aerodrome.

Opportunities for all skill levels encouraged the community to participate in creating the ceramic forms. Local primary school children helped design the clay pavers which surround the circular entrance seat. In 1988, a grant from the Australian Bicentennial Authority enabled the appointment of noted Australian ceramic artists to complete the "cave seats" in the colonnade.

This post is part of the Monday Murals meme.











21 comments:

  1. Oh, Nick! What an awesomely beautiful place! And so colorful and original! I love it! And, of course, your captures are superb as always! You do have so much beauty in your country! Thank you for sharing it with us! Hope your week is off to a great start!

    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fabulous! It seems rather Gaudi-esque don't you think?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the little blue fish circles.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What an amazing place! Lovely shots.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow,beautiful place and I love your photo's

    ReplyDelete
  6. un endroit magnifique, les creations des mosaiques sont tres belles, j'adore

    Publicity ;o) Every Friday (and the Weekend), The Challenge "Walk In The Street Photography"

    ReplyDelete
  7. Awesome! I see some zodiac signs, and the details are so cool!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow. I will have to make myself a list of the places I must see.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The touches of blue/green against the terra cotta is wonderful

    ReplyDelete
  10. The terra cotta and tile work are beautiful -- I love outdoor art! (I'm part of the masses from whom it is created ;>)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the idea behind this community mural. Very cool!

    ReplyDelete
  12. This had to be inspired by Gaudi's Parc Güel in Barcelona. It's fantastic and it's the first time I see it. Great shots!

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is a stunning achievement. I love that so many schoolchildren were involved.

    ReplyDelete
  14. What Jose said. I had the same immediate reaction and association to this work. Wonderfully sinuous lines and use of natural materials. I particularly like the community involvement that brought this project into being. They've made something to be proud of. Thanks, Nick, for participating in this week's Monday Mural.

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is fantastic! What a wonderful, creative building, and what an exciting thing for the children who participated! I would love to see this.
    -Dyanna
    www.berkeleytoday.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete

Feel free to comment, I'd really like to hear from you!
Please do not use this comment box to advertise your goods and services!