Play Sculpture
Artist
David Tolley (1936-2014)
Medium
Precast concrete with painted fibreglass finish
District
South Canberra
Commissioned
1967
artsACT
This sculpture is one of two works by David Tolley situated on Lake Burley Griffin. This work is in Weston Park, Yarralumla and the other is in Commonwealth Park, Parkes. It is made up from an arrangement of seven independent forms placed to function as play equipment and seating. Both the Weston Park and Commonwealth Park sculptures use the same seven forms but are arranged in different configurations to suit the surrounding landscape. The Commonwealth Park Play Sculpture is owned and maintained by the National Capital Authority (NCA).
David Tolley (1936-2014)
Play Sculpture, 1967
Precast concrete with painted fibreglass finish
Pescott Lane, Weston Park, Yarralumla
In 1967, the National Capital Development Commission (Now National Capital Authority) commissioned me to design and make some sculpture that would be suitable for children to play and adults to sit on for several parkland sites in Canberra.
I arrived at a concept that comprised seven independent forms designed to be arranged in seven different settings, some of them were designed to fit together in various ways. Each setting was to be fixed in place and function independently as a sculptural group but also allow people to walk in and out, to sit and to climb on or just enjoy touching.
The concept was accepted, and I proceeded. Two settings were finally decided upon, one sited at Commonwealth Gardens where I decided on a reasonably formal arrangement of the seven pieces to suit the designed environment and the other at Western Park where a more random arrangement suited the more natural landscape design.
Designed as a self-sufficient sculptural/spatial statement but one which encourage physicality, sitting, playing, or just touching, the work was unique at the time and perhaps still is 40 years later. I am told that it has performed the second function admirably for many thousands of children and adults and many people have expressed the view that the first function has been equally fulfilled.
David Tolley, 2011