Food for the Mind – Sculpture by the Sea 2006
I love my Vegemite and grew up on strawberry flavoured Aeroplane Jelly, but if there’s one thing I’m completely un-Australian for, is my inability to embrace the sun. Shade and sweet water, that’s me. Yet, if you were at Bondi during the weekend like I was, I’m sure you would’ve agreed that the beach was a sight to behold. Hundreds of glistening bodies on sun-drenched sand against a backdrop of deep blue water and cloudless sky. I slapped on the hat, slopped on the sunscreen and just stood there, marvelling.
Being at Bondi on a day like this, always reminds me of Jaci. She’s a complete sun lover, having grown up on Lord Howe Island. She probably owns 20 bikinis, whereas I haven’t laid claim to one in more than ten years! I tried going swimsuit shopping last summer and failed miserably.. they were all funny shapes with weird cutouts and too-much-going-on prints. Where have all the plain cossies gone?
Anyway, here I was at Bondi, feeling a little overdressed in jeans and singlet, meeting Mir (who actually drove to Bondi, brave girl) so that we could do the Bondi to Bronte walk and check out Sculpture by the Sea. I don’t usually manage to get to this annual event because this is the busiest time of the year, work-wise, but miraculously I was off for the weekend and didn’t want the opportunity to pass me by.
The pieces with a sense of humour, such as the hand sculpture this year, are usually pretty popular with the crowds, as are the large tactile installations which the kids love. My favourite sculptures this time round were mostly the recycled ones. The submarines/boats, for example, and the dogs that were composed of objects like table legs and bicycle seats.
Mir and I ended the day with a couple of scoops of gelato from nearby Pompei. Sugary relief, from a disgustingly beautiful sunny day.
Sculpture by the Sea 2006
Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk
2-19 November
