501 Botany Rd Public Art Plays Tricks with Eyes and Mind

At 501 Botany Road, in the thoroughfare between the Palms and Chelsea apartments you’ll find a playful public art sculpture. The apartments are in the Lateral portfolio from builder-developer Waterside Constructions and the sculpture occupies City of Sydney public space in the Zetland precinct.

Cultural planner and art management consultant, Marla Guppy worked with artist Nadia Odlum on the concept for the work. Odlum is a Sydney artist who describes their practice as exploring “the material language and everyday practices of urban space.”

The work is comprised of seven tilted arches each formed from seven stainless steel tubes. The two largest arches are sculptural, the other five also function as street furniture. The arches appear to be casting shadows on the pavers below but on closer inspection the “shadows” are painted and permanent. The entire ensemble plays tricks with the eyes and the mind.

Tilt Industrial Design produced the drawings and material specifications for the work, and Di Emme managed the production and installation.

The arches are made from heavy duty 75mm stainless steel tube that has been bead blasted to give it a soft-grey matt patina. The bead blasting supports the natural ageing of the material.

The tubular arches were fully formed offsite and installed on large base plates on the base concrete. Another layer of non-shrink grout was poured under the plates before the pavers were laid.

The artist hand-taped and hand-painted the various shades of stripes after the tubing was installed.