Geelong ready for ‘wow’ icon

By John Van Klaveren
A MAJOR public art installation for the region is “long overdue”, according to Geelong Otway Tourism boss Roger Grant.
He believed a recent Icon for Geelong competition to design a landmark for the city had come up with a kinetic sculpture “wonderful” for the waterfront.
“Public art is important in attracting visitors to the city. It’s part of the visual statement as to what the city stands for,” Mr Grant said.
“It indicates a vibrant, progressive city. Public artworks can differentiate us from the many lovely waterfronts around the world but it has to be of global significance because we’re competing on a global scale, with so many people traveling internationally these days.”
Melbourne firm JOH Architects won the Icon competition in March with a design for a water feature called Sea Dragon. The design featured wind turbines driving a corkscrew-like structure below to create undulating waves across the waterfront.
Mr Grant said “interactive, high-quality, wow-factor public art” had general public support.
He pointed to the success of Geelong’s waterfront bollards in branding the city because they were “so unique”.
Mr Grant said Icon winner Sea Dragon should be included in a master plan for public art and prioritised for funding.
“The City of Greater Geelong has released its public art strategy to improve the quality and range of public art. Once it’s locked into that process we can then search for the dollars to fund it.
“I believe there are opportunities for both public and private sector funding sources. If we could attract some corporate philanthropy into it as well as public funds it would deliver a major attraction.
“There has to be a value proposition for government at all levels and a compelling proposition for corporates.
“It is a challenge but I’d hate to think we shied away from projects that are a challenge.”
The Icon competition also made waves in the architecture world. The story of the $10,000 prize was featured in several national architecture and design industry publications.
Geelong law firm Senia Lawyers put up the cash prize.