A spectacular steel creation by acclaimed sculptor Matthew Harding is welcoming visitors to a popular Maribyrnong park.
Maribyrnong council commissioned the Pipedreams public sculpture for Thompson Reserve, opposite Highpoint shopping centre and at the entrance to Pipemakers Park.
The $170,000 public artwork stands eight metres high and 12 metres wide, and incorporates 32 kilometres of stainless-steel rods and tubes.
In-ground lighting will help cast shifting patterns at dusk.
The design was inspired by the industrial heritage of the site, particularly the steel cages built to reinforce concrete pipes produced for many decades at Pipemakers Park.
The hollow central form reflects the flow of the nearby Maribyrnong River.
Maribyrnong mayor Cameron McDonald said the “complex and robust” piece of public art, launched on Monday, told the story of the area’s history and acted as a gateway to the park.
“This incredible sculpture at the entrance to Pipemakers Park certainly enhances the experience of visitors and passersby,” he said.
“Pipedreams beautifully captures and reflects the key aspects of the rich pipe-making history at our well loved Pipemakers Park. It also artistically incorporates the flow of the Maribyrnong River.”
The project follows other public art commissions by the council in recent years, including the
Welcome Bowl in Footscray’s Nicholson Street mall and works to celebrate the opening of the Braybrook Community Hub.
