JESSICA BIRK & JADE OAKLEY

Project Name: Angophora

Art Management: Creative Road

Location: Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital, Sydney

Materials: Glass, Aluminium, Axolotl Terracotta Surface, Powdercoat

Dimensions: North and West façade; 232m2

Description: The Angophora artwork concept was developed collaboratively by artists Jade Oakley and Jessica Birk, with the assistance of Emmaline Cox from Axolotl Art Projects.

The artwork is inspired by Angophora trees and aims to help to retain the memory of the large Angophora trees that have been removed from the site for the new building. Angophoras are a potent symbol of transformation and resilience and are associated with healing and the female form in Aboriginal culture.

Jade and Jessica considered their approach to the facade carefully to ensure collaboration would result in the creation of a unified and harmonious artwork, strengthened by each artist’s narrative and experience.

The artwork consists of two unique layers of patterning, created by each artist. Jade’s illustrations created the structure of the ‘dancing’ trunk and branches of the Angophora tree in the glass interlayer and the screen patterns which meditate on the peeling bark pattern. While Jessica’s painted glass interlayer explores the colours, character and seasons through rich pattern and colour.

The artwork’s location demands a dynamic approach to materiality, as it is viewed both as the external facade at the entry of the hospital, and from within. It plays an important role in placemaking and welcoming visitors, patients and staff. The artwork appears as a glowing light box, a welcoming beacon at the entry, and affords views from both sides of the glass, up close and from afar.

Conversations with the artists on the concept and the feeling the artists were trying to convey in the artwork guided the design process. From this, Axolotl was able to propose materials and solutions that helped achieve the best outcomes for the artwork. The multi-layer screening as an example has the engineering requirement to be built from laser-cut aluminium affixed over an access gantry. To minimise the impact of the structure, the screening layout was developed with the artists to conceal the framework. As it was important that the artwork conveyed the natural quality and colour of the Angophora, the team experimented with colours and textures and introduced two custom Axolotl Terracotta treatments to the screening layer. This provided an outcome superior to powder coating alone, and only achievable with Axolotl Terracotta surfaces created with natural materials that live and breathe like solid Terracotta.