Nigel Dobson’s POP, at the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail at Batlow. Photo: Di Caskey.
Two new public artworks are set to be unveiled in Batlow this month as part of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail’s annual Welcome to Winter Art, Food, Wine, Cider, Gin and Beer Weekend.
Running from 19 to 21 June, the three-day celebration is geared to showcase the best of the Snowy Valleys through sculpture tours, artist talks, food and wine experiences and community events, also giving visitors the chance to explore the largest permanent outdoor sculpture collection in regional NSW.
The two new works will become the latest additions to the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail, which now features more than 60 sculptures across a 150-kilometre route, stretching across the western foothills of the Snowy Mountains from Tumut to Khancoban, including most villages and towns in between.
The first is POP, a striking new work by Canberra-based artist Nigel Dobson, which will be unveiled at 12:30 pm in Pioneer Street, Batlow, on Saturday afternoon.
The large steel tripod sculpture features moving parts and combines futuristic science-fiction elements with an almost ancient quality.
Towering above viewers, POP is designed to spark curiosity and imagination, with Dobson describing the work as something suspended between past and future that invites people to wonder about its origins and purpose.
“It feels like it doesn’t come from Earth but has arrived here,” he said.
Later that day, visitors will gather at the Apple Thief Cider House for the 2 pm unveiling of Bird House, a new installation by artist Samantha Whittingham.
The installation features a series of hand-built ceramic birdhouses nestled among natural foliage.
Designed to provide year-round habitat, the sustainable structures combine practical function with artistic expression, offering birds shelter from summer heat and winter cold while blending seamlessly into the landscape.
Both artworks will be officially unveiled by NSW Chief Justice and former Sculpture by the Sea chair Andrew Bell.
Bird House by Samantha Whittingham (NSW). Photo: Charlotte Curd.
But the weekend begins on Friday evening with a special Fireside Dinner at Nest – Cinema:Cafe:Books in Tumbarumba.
The relaxed, roving feast will celebrate some of the region’s finest produce, with guests invited to meet guest grower Patricia Denholm and Richard and Elvie Cottam from Mount Tumbarumba Vineyard.
Throughout the evening they will share the stories behind the exceptional food and wine they produce, offering visitors an opportunity to connect directly with the people behind some of the Snowy Valleys’ best-known products which include cool-climate wines, cider, gin, apples, berries, truffles, locally brewed beer and artisan food.
Then, as the weekend progresses, visitors will have the unique opportunity to experience the vast sculpture trail alongside the people responsible for creating and curating it.
On Saturday morning, Sculpture by the Sea founder and Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail artistic director David Handley will lead a free guided tour through the Sculpture Forest at Pilot Hill Arboretum in the Bago State Forest near Laurel Hill, between Batlow and Tumbarumba, from 10 am.
The tour will provide insight into the artworks, artists and stories that have helped shape the trail since its establishment.
The weekend activity continues on Sunday with two more free guided sculpture walks.
Sculpture by the Sea company manager Davina Corti will lead an 11 am tour of the Adelong collection, departing from the Adelong Alive Museum, while Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail artistic director David Handley will host a 10:30 am tour of the Khancoban sculptures, meeting at the Pickled Parrot.
Both tours offer visitors an opportunity to explore different sections of the trail and learn more about the artworks that now dot the region.
The Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail was established in the aftermath of the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires as a way to support recovery across communities devastated by the disaster.
Developed by Sculpture by the Sea in partnership with local councils, businesses and community groups, the project has grown into a major cultural and tourism attraction, drawing visitors to towns across the region while creating a lasting legacy of public art.
Alongside the sculpture program, the three-day winter celebration offers visitors an opportunity to see and experience the creativity, hospitality, landscapes and initiatives that have become hallmarks of the Snowy Valleys.
More information about the Welcome to Winter Art, Food, Wine, Cider, Gin and Beer Weekend, including bookings for ticketed events, is available through the Sculpture by the Sea website.
To explore more of what the Snowy Valleys has to offer, including accommodation and outdoor adventures, visit the Snowy Valleys tourism website.
Original Article published by Edwina Mason on About Regional.
