Last Updated on February 10, 2024 by Home in the World
Perth is no stranger to having sculpture exhibitions on its many beaches. I have posted about some of them here, and there will be more such posts to come. Castaways Rockingham was a new one for me, even though it has been running for 14 years. I confess I had actually never heard of it until a friend told me about it, so I decided to take the 45-minute drive south of Perth and check out what the public art at Rockingham foreshore had to offer.
And it totally exceeded all my expectations. Because Castaways isn’t just any old art exhibit. It has a unique, environmentalist twist in that, in addition to nurturing emerging artists, its aim is also to encourage sustainability. As such, all of the works are made from recycled, repurposed (salvaged) materials, adding an extra dimension of creativity. The installations featured in the two photos immediately below, for example, are made from recycled aluminium conductor cable, recycled plastic bottles and recycled silicone bronze (image on left) and found objects, ironing boards, sprinkler springs and plastic lids (image on right). Amazing, don’t you think?
Plus, there is a separate section featuring pieces made by school children – in a bid to promote eco-friendliness in future generations. These artworks, too, were so well-thought-out and colourful. It’s great to see teachers and kids alike addressing these important issues in a fun and imaginative way.
Another aspect I found impressive was the accessibility mats that were laid out on the sand sections – a simple but thoughtful measure that I’m sure made it a lot easier for wheelchair users and people with prams to get closer to many of the artworks. The blue matting can be seen in some of the photos above.
Props to curator Lyn Di Ciero and the City of Rockingham for this fabulous initiative. It may have been my first visit, but it most definitely will not be my last!