On Tuesday June 22, about ten LSC&PH travellers met at a platform at Southern Cross Station that seemed about half-way to Bendigo. But our happy anticipation of the big day out was not deflated as we sped through the sunlit suburbs, past the back of the ‘Thunderdome’ and on through lovely country to Bendigo. Andre Sardone warmly greeted us on arrival at his exhibition, Steel Life and Shimmer, at Dudley House, just up the hill from the Gallery.
The exhibition of Andre’s works in steel and Bridget’s beautiful bird photographs were a revelation to some, and exceeded the expectations of others who knew something of his earlier works.
There were shimmering stainless steel fruit hanging from trees in the front lawn and back courtyard, pieces you could crank a handle and extract harmonious notes from, Andre’s signature ‘pods’ like amoebas in both warmly rusted steel, carefully bent and almost invisibly welded, and also a beautifully smooth powder-coated model. And more, much more to intrigue, stimulate speculation about origins of the material or potential past or future uses.
Then there were Bridget Finch’s amazing photographs. They were sometimes gems in small frames, back on the walls and wedged between Andre’s sometimes threatening steel shapes. Others were larger, as was the due of all of them.
The names and notes describing all the pieces were works of art in themselves, so beautifully recording the motivations and methods of the two artists.
The best bit was in the side room in which there were two comfy red armchairs facing a big screen on which Bridget’s photographs were displayed on recycle.
I’m driving back there on Saturday to sit in one of those chairs and absorb the beauty a bit more. And to share it with some more friends. The exhibition unfortunately closes on Sunday, so get your car keys or your myki and be quick! The team photo and more are ‘stuck’ on someone’s camera so you’ll have to wait until the next newsletter for the visuals.
John Robert (1962 Light Blue)
