Denman Prospect art highlights Canberra's global connections

Public art is increasingly becoming an integral part of new commercial developments and residential suburbs as a contribution to their identity and the elevation of a connection between people and a place.

Last week’s unveiling of   Sphere – a largescale new work by German sculptor Jorg Plickat – signalled that focus on public art in Canberra’s newest suburb, Denman Prospect, in the heart of the Molonglo Valley.

It was unveiled by Capital Estate Developments executive director Terry Snow, and is the first of several pieces of public art that will be installed throughout the suburb.

The provision of major and often monumental works of public art is “part of the company’s DNA,” Snow says.

“That’s so evident when you look at what has been achieved at Canberra Airport,” he says of one of the company’s flagship projects.

There are 14 major pieces between the terminal and Brindabella Business Park, including the kinetic piece at the entry to the airport by New Zealand sculptor Phil Price.

“Another six sculptures will be unveiled at Denman Prospect over the coming months, including works by local artists and others by international artists with impressive credentials,” Snow says.

Sphere is a strikingly bold 4.5-metre high, corten steel structure, weighing in at 3.5 tonnes. It will be illuminated at night, forming a stunning entry to Denman Prospect and a beacon for visitors and residents.

Corten steel eliminates the need for painting and forms a stable rust-like appearance when exposed to weather for several years.

Plickat supervised the installation of the steel sculpture and said Sphere represented the five continents of the world. 

“As the capital of Australia with connections to the rest of the world, Canberra was the right place for it,” he says.

Plikat has contributed to more than 250 exhibitions and has more than 60 large-scale works installed in public areas and churches throughout the world.

Emeritus professor David Williams of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences says he couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the uptake of public artwork installations by the private sector.

“Public art brings an energy, a life to the environment, and it is a mark of the sophistication of a city and its people,” he says.

“What they are doing at Denman Prospect is wonderful and builds on the achievements at the airport and in many other revitalised places like New Acton.”

What this means for you: Public art can help shape a suburb’s identity and foster a connection between people and place.