Stilcon Scaffolding supported Laine Hogarty creates her artwork at Lorne Sculpture
Lorne Sculpture is a vibrant festival celebrating the best of Australian and international sculpture. It is held every two years (free public event) where the stunning Lorne foreshore becomes the picturesque location for sculptures.
The theme ‘Spirit of Place’ was explored through a new curatorial model which asked artists to respond to 16 themes exploring Lorne’s histories and the beauty of its natural environment.
Laine Hogarty participated in the Lorne Sculpture Biennale as one of the sixteen selected artists for the 2022 event. Laine exhibited her work Open Curtain on the Erskine House precinct between 12 March and 2 April 2022.
Laine operates a cross-disciplinary visual art practice using installation, sculpture, drawing and digital design to create real and imagined spaces that examine pre-conceived assumptions.
The sprawling guest house, Erskine House has been at the heart of Lorne since the 1860s. Founded by the pioneering Mountjoy family, it was instrumental in facilitating tourism to the region. Laine’s sculptural installation – Open Curtain – examines the role of the precinct as a gateway to Lorne’s natural resources and beauty. By inviting the viewer to consider a zone of memory and possibility; the work reinforced a history of both access and exclusion.
Brief overview of the artwork as supplied by Lorne Sculpture.
Over the three week period of the Lorne Sculpture Festival, Laine Hogarty intervened onsite by weaving individual letters into a jute curtain using red fabric, to complete the sentence:
“An ocean Upon which the sun never sets”
This phrase is adapted from the original Colonial statement “An empire upon which the sun never sets”
As both a positive aspiration for Lorne, and also to allow consideration for what type of oceans we may leave future generations, the work is both celebratory and thought provoking.
As Laine weaves the letters, she engaged in conversations with the public about the work and the historical context of the site. The action of meeting strangers at Lorne, is very much at the heart of the social contributions made by the Mountjoys, who made possible the meeting of people through their many social functions and contributions to local tourism. This aspect of the project imbeds the artist into the landscape as part of the evolution of the work, as a conversation or non-static, performative, installation experience for the public.
From the artist, Laine Hogarty
I want to thank Stilcon Scaffolding for all your incredible support of my desire to activate our community in conversations about the environment. Without your support this project would not have happened! And also, the onsite installation and delivery team who were such a pleasure to work with.
The success of any company is always as a result of its people. Stilcon Scaffolding stands out to me, as a company with a robust team spirit, made up of people who have their hearts in the right place.
The response to the curtain from the public and our youth has been amazing! So many people feel the need to do make the change needed to ensure we save our oceans.
Thank you all again so much for standing by me as I advocate for the need for environmental change, to ensure a positive future for our youth.
