The Words of Love sculpture is designed to symbolically commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Port Arthur tragedy, and provides for a uniting experience of interactive reflection, written words of love on paper leaves, placed together into the sculpture following the service.
Words of Love sculpture
by artist, Amanda Walker.
The paper leaves are eco-dyed with native flora and fallen foliage from the garden. A precious object to write shared or private words of love, the forged steel vessel serves as a means to hold these cherished words, connecting all those present.
The sculptures decorative elements use the native White Flag Iris, a delicate flower of pure white symbolising growth, renewal, and life itself. The structural elements – forged steel rings or circles of connectedness- symbolise remembrance, light, and hope. Species of flag iris can be found across our mainland states and world continents, connecting us all, through the ephemeral nature and meaning of a garden.
The sculpture symbolically commemorates the 30th Anniversary, providing a uniting experience through your words of love, and is designed to fit naturally and gently within The Memorial Garden where it will remain on view for others visiting the garden over the next 10 days.
We will be gathering the shared words of love from the 30th Anniversary event, and these will be shared on this website following in the following days.
Attributing artists:
Forged steel sculpture by Ben Beames, Blacksmith
Eco-dyed paper leaves by Joi Heald, Textile artist
Ink drawings by Shalene McClure, Visual artist
