The towering ficifolia sculpture at Drouin’s Civic Park will be formerly celebrated and its official name announced at an event held on Saturday, 20 August at the Sound Shell in Civic Park.
All community members are invited to join in the celebrations that will coincide with the Drouin Craft and Produce Market. Attendees are encouraged to explore the market and ample meal options from nearby cafes and restaurants prior to the event.
Event details:
Date: Saturday, 20 August 2022
Time: 12pm
Venue: Sound Shell, Drouin Civic Park.
Taking pride of place within the pond at Drouin’s Civic Park, the 300 kg sculpture was developed as part of Council’s $1.48 million Drouin Civic Park redevelopment project.
The sculpture represents the Corymbia Ficifolia – or red flowering gum – a local floral icon that is frequently found around Drouin and the namesake of the town’s annual Ficifolia Festival.
Designed by local Gippsland artist Jo Caminiti, the sculpture employs an eclectic mix of materials including spoons, chicken wire, saucepans, pipes, and sheets of metal to bring the distinctive ficifolia form to life.
At the event, Jo will be joined by her mother, Norma Harrison, and recently retired former Cultural Development Officer Karen Whittaker-Taylor, to take part in a brief panel discussion about the inspiration and development of the sculpture.
The highly anticipated official name for the sculpture, as voted by the community via the West Gippsland Arts Centre’s social media channels, will also be announced at the event.
Quote attributable to Mayor Cr Michael Leaney
“It would be hard to miss this iconic Ficifolia sculpture that towers over the pond at the redeveloped Drouin Civic Park.
This event will allow us to formally recognise the outstanding work of the artist and all others involved in bringing this sculpture to life and highlighting its new name moving forward.
I look forward to seeing many of our community members there!”
Image: Jo working on the ficifolia sculpture on her fathers old welding table in her workshop.
Image: The sculpture being installed within the pond at Drouin’s Civic Park.
