Architects and artists Russell Rodrigo and Vesna Trobec of Studio Trobec have been commissioned by Sydney City to produce the Memory Weave memorial. The project is the result of a petition provided by community group Darlo Darlings.
The petition compelled the city to invite landscape architects, artists and a mix of creative practitioners to come up with ideas, an initiative that attracted 30 applications.
The artwork, according to Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore, would be considered a major marker in the cultural and social tapestry of the city’s inner east, and especially Green Park, which has been an especially symbolic place for all who have suffered the loss of loved ones and family to AIDS and HIV. He added:
“Its location, close to St Vincent’s Hospital and the hospice where many people were cared for, means Green Park continues to represent a place of remembrance and healing.”
A three-dimensional quilt design that will feature a historical events timeline, together with text representing individual experiences, will be included in the Memory Weave artwork, which will be constructed from finishes that could include concrete, copper and Corten steel. Memorials such as this have often generated great interest, making them a fascinating feature of many tourism brochure printing campaigns.
Installation work is scheduled to begin later in 2021.