Hawthorne Canal Mosaic Mural Project
HAWTHORNE CANAL COMMUNITY ARTWORK
COMPLETED 2011
This project presents the outstanding collaboration between community volunteers, Railcorp, Leichhardt Council, and local artists. Planning commenced in 2005, and after thousands of hours of community dedication by volunteers and local schools, the vision has been realised. The project aims to enhance the personal security of local residents and the many people who use the rail tunnel and canal footpath network everyday. Before it was installed this tunnel was miserable, dark and vandalised. Now it is a glowing example of community art and best practice community safety intervention. Volunteers aged from 4 to 75 have thrown themselves behind this project. Together they contributed over 5,000 hours in order to place over 475,000 mosaic pieces together. Their dedicated work saw the creation of this wonderful vision of the natural history of Long Cove Creek, as the Hawthorne Canal water tributary was originally known.
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WATCH THE FILM - HAWTHORNE CANAL TUNNEL TRANSFORMATION
To get a complete picture of the transformative process of the tunnel from dark and dingy, to exceptionally beautiful
community art pathway, watch the wonderful film by UTS student Katherine Buskariol here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Eg_zsP5yg
Several local schools participated in the project, including:
Kegworth Public, St Fiacres Primary, St Columbus Primary, St Joan of Arc Primary, Leichhardt Public School, and
The Leichhardt Campus of Sydney Secondary College. Sydney College of the Arts were also involved with the Ceramics Department stepping in and firing the many of the ceramic sea creatures. The Department also developed a new kiln firing technique for the artwork, using recycled glass to form the seaweed. Community mosiac sessions ran at Nola Diamantopoulos' studio in Rozelle for over three and a half years. During this time a large number of local volunteers gathered together every Tuesday to work collaboratively on the mosaic panles. They contributed a large proportion of the 5,000 hours that made this project possible. The Hawthorne Canal Mosaic Mural consists of 44 panels that are located in a 112 square metre pedestrian tunnel located near Hawthorne Canal in Leichhardt. The tunnel leads from Lords Road, Leichhardt (adjacent to Kegworth Public School under the Rozelle Goods Line) to the Hawthorne Canal footpath network. Take a walk or hop on your bike to see the Hawthorne Canal community artwork for yourself.
Hawthorne Canal Location Map - 92 KB
A Project with Four Stages
Stage 1 - Entryway Murals
Stage one was completed in December 2006, with the painting of a mural on the approaches to the tunnel.
Stage 1 Mural before Dec 06 - 510 KB Stage 1 Mural after Jan 07 - 439 KB
Stage 2 - Lighting
Stage two of the project was completed with the installation of lighting creating a safer environment for the community. The lighting now showcases the murals and storywall.
Stage 3 - Mosiac Mural
Stage three was completed earlier this year and involved the placement of over 475,000 mosaic pieces onto 21 large panels
that now decorate one side of the tunel wall.
Stage 4 - Installation
Completed in July, 42 panels were installed in the tunnel completing the putdooe installation of the mosaci boards and an accompanying storywall created using historical and contemporary quotes specific to the Hawthorne Canal area.
The final completion of this project was celebrated with a launch on the 26th August, 2011
THANKYOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS FOR CONTRIBUTING YOUR TIME, SKILL AND PASSION FOR ART IN PUBLIC SPACES.