Click here to see some of the sculptures in this exhibition.

The Contemporary Sculptors Association Inc. is proud to present this exciting exhibition in the grounds of the St. Kilda Botanical Gardens. As part of the 2001 St. Kilda Festival, 17 artists are bringing their work out of the studios, bypassing the art galleries, and going direct to the public, giving us the opportunity to experience Melbourne’s contemporary art scene in this ideal setting.

In a suburb as culturally vibrant and as colourful as St. Kilda, the Botanical Gardens are a much-loved piece of real estate. The haunt of olden days pickpockets, it has always served as the communal backyard for the scores of often flat-bound residents; where distinctions between the private and the public begin to disappear, and an affinity with the community is formed. With the sparkle of a family get- together - picnic and drinks - to the tranquillity of solitude found in a quiet walk, the St. Kilda Botanical Gardens are the sofa room of the suburb.

To do justice to both the physical and psychological sides of this public domain is the challenge the artists will attempt to meet. Rather than plonking pre-made art on the lawn for four weeks, the artists have instead been asked to take their inspiration directly from the Gardens, particularly the idea of public space and how the public uses it. Their responses will be unusual and diverse. From the duck pond to the conservatory and the monkey bars to the rose garden, art will hang, float and creep its way round, looking for interesting spots to investigate. The chance for people to interact, to be surprised and to feel a part of the art is what this exhibition is all about.

Exhibition Opens Sunday February 4, 2001 until March 2, 2001
Exhibition Hours 9am - 8pm 7 days
Join in the Artist Walk-throughs between 10-11am Sunday February 11,18 & 25

This exhibition is generously supported by the City of Yarra, the City of Port Phillip, the Besen Family Foundation, NAVA Pat Corrigan Artist Grant