Esteemed Australian contemporary art duo Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro have been selected to deliver a new public artwork on the Coast Walk at North Mona Vale Headland Reserve.
Council has announced that the Australian artistic duo will deliver the next public art instalment along the 36km Coast Walk.
The whimsical and interactive artwork You Are Here is a site-specific proposal for North Mona Vale that can also be used as informal seating or play space.
Fabricated in durable sandstone blocks that spell out the phrase You Are Here, this text-based sculpture references the loving signs placed on Barrenjoey Road for friends and family on special occasions and the dramatic sandstone formations of the Northern Beaches.
Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan said public artworks dotted along the Coast Walk will change the way people interact with their surrounding environment.
"Stretching from Manly to Palm Beach, our 36km Coast Walk opens up our spectacular coastline for all people to appreciate and enjoy," Mayor Regan said.
"Public artworks along the Coast Walk celebrate the people and places of the Northern Beaches. All works have been carefully curated and selected for specific locations along our breathtaking coastline to reflect the rich history and cultural significance.
"It's an exciting way to engage both locals and visitors with our wonderful coastline and we hope it will inspire people to make the journey along this uplifting walk."
Healy and Cordeiro have an artistic practice that is focused on transforming the residue of consumer society and reimagining the forms and systems surrounding us.
The concept represents a playful use of words that can be integrated into the park to create a meeting point, a conversation point, and a complement to existing park uses.
As the clifftop is also popular for hang gliding, the artwork can be seen in aerial view by those using the sky for this recreational leisure pursuit.
Following a two-stage tender process in 2022 Council received 17 artist submissions and took a short list of finalists through to the request for proposal stage.
The award-winning artists Healy and Cordeiro were chosen based on their previous achievements such as representing Australia at the Venice Biennale, creating the 2018 work Cloud Nation in Green Square Library, for the City of Sydney, and engaging with community stakeholders to deliver Place of the Eels in Parrammatta Square in September 2022.
Council will continue to engage with the community before the installation of the artwork, including meetings with local Aboriginal stakeholders, including the Aboriginal Heritage Office, as well as residents, park users, dog owners, hang gliding clubs, and relevant Council officers.
The artwork is expected to be completed by August 2023. A Meet the Artists Event will be held on 24 February for locals to hear more about the proposal.
