23 February 2009

Mackay, Verandahs and Jelly Moulds

A new sculpture by Donna Marcus draws on a kitchen classic paying tribute to the verandah.

Queensland-based artist Donna Marcus has been trawling tips, garage sales and church fetes for years looking for aluminium pots, pans and bowls for her unique artworks.

One of Marcus' sculptures will take pride of place in the foyer of Mackay’s new Lanai apartment complex designed by Bligh Voller Nield.

Perhaps best known for her 'Steam' art work in Brisbane Square, made of aluminium vegetable steamers, Marcus is gaining an international reputation – recently being the only Australian to exhibit at the New York Museum of Art and Design’s Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary – and exhibiting in Paris, Italy, Berlin, Singapore and Scotland.

Marcus’ love affair with aluminium began when exploring the unusual forms of jelly moulds. “They had a wonderful aeronautical look – both domestic and industrial at the same time. I love that the same material is used to build spacecraft and jelly moulds,” she says.

“Like all obsessions, it’s hard to stop. Collecting is a key part of the process and often I have to wait years to carry through an idea.”

An extension of Marcus’ ‘family portraits’ series of works, the sculpture will be unveiled at the Lanai apartments in March, coinciding with an exhibition of her work at Mackay’s Artspace from 27 March – 10 May.

“The building has been named Lanai, from the Latin word for verandah,” Marcus says. “I wanted to work with materials drawn from verandahs of the local community.

“Having local materials in the sculpture has helped create a strong connection with the local community.”

Donna Marcus
donnamarcus.com.au

Lanai Apartments
lanaiapartments.com.au