Back to the City – Breath of Life Art Installation

 23 January 2008 Update.
Check out the Breath of Life blog site for images from the newly installed windmill on Obelisk Hill.

A team of engineers, architects, artists and historians across the University and community have come together to propose an art installation for one of Newcastle’s landmark sites for the Back to the City project http://www.backtothecity.com.au/index.html

Aerial View of Obelisk site with superimposed Armstrong 1830 plan (Larger Image)

Back to the City is a series of temporary urban art interventions taking place in the City of Newcastle during January and February 2008 under the Artistic Directorship of Professor Steffen Lehmann. Seventeen collaborative teams of artists, architects and landscape architects will produce a series of site-specific installations in the city centre. The aim of the project is to investigate contemporary and relevant crossovers between the disciplines, as well as testing and experimenting with new forms ofcollaboration, bringing into focus the revitalisation process of Newcastle’s city centre.

The ‘Breath of Life’ proposal was to construct and install a series of mini windmills around the Obelisk at the top of town, and in the process promote new directions towards clean renewable energy on the historic site of Newcastle’s windmill which was completed in 1821, and demolished in 1850.

Obelisk (Courtesy of Hunter Photobank)

Correlations of the obelisk as symbol of traditional solar worship are also plentiful. The obelisk to the ancient Egyptians symbolised the sun god Ra. It was also believed that the god actually existed within the obelisk, and was worshipped as the dwelling place of the sun-god. During the religious upheaval of Pharoah Akhenaten’s reign the obelisk was said to be a petrified ray of the solar disc aten. (Ref: Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art by James Hall, published by HarperCollins, 1994: p. 75). As a symbolised embodiment of the ray of the sun, it is therefore a fitting reminder to reinvigorate this site with mythical sun and wind energy.

The team was one of 10 successful applications, with a further 7 being invited to prepare installations across the city. There was a feature in the Sun Herald 18/11/07 (“Steel City Prepares to Show Off Its Creative Side” Hunter Extra pp.4-5)

For more information please see the Breath of Life website and Breath of Life Proposal (2MB PDF).

Dante Remembered

Attention Italianophiles. Back  on Tuesday 23rd November 2004 the second in the successful and popular series of Lunchtime Readings from the Rare Books was presented in the Friends’ Reading Room in University Archives (now Cultural Collections). The theme for this occasion was Dante Alighieri’s Commedia (The Divine Comedy) from which three recitations in the original Italian were performed from this classic work.

The event featured three speakers from across the University’s campus and regional community. The then University’s Deputy Chancellor, Emeritus Professor Ken Dutton introduced the event and recited Canto III from the Inferno. Mrs Nora Moelle, a Fine Arts Student at this University and wife of the late Dr Konrad Moelle in Geology, recited Canto XXXI (31) from the Purgatorio. And Mr Vittorio Di Gravio, a member of the local Italian community, native speaker and father of Gionni recited Canto XXXIII (33) of the Inferno.

Various rare and obscure editions of Dante’s work from the Collections were also on display and all guests were treated to fine hospitality which included a piece of the world famous Mama Di Gravio’s Continental Cake with Dantean inscription. We thank all the speakers for their fine recitations and also especially thank Mr Michael Sternbeck for the design of the beautiful poster for the event which has become a collector’s item with many people requesting autographed copies. The event was also recorded and limited edition CD produced.

Emeritus Professor Ken Dutton – Introduction to the Dante Readings (3MB)

Inferno Canto 3 – Emeritus Professor Dutton (3.6 MB)

Inferno Canto 33 – Mr Vittorio Di Gravio (5.6 MB MP3)

Purgatorio Canto 31 – Mrs Nora Moelle (5.2 MB MP3)

Gionni Di Gravio
26 November 2007