GAYIP – the Travellers

Description

Gayip is the ceremonial meeting of the different Australian Aborigines clans, where they would interact with each other through stories, dance, storing telling. It was vital for many of their social traditions like marriage, trading, settling disputes etc. Gayip is also used to signify community or gathering.

What other apt name could be possible for this sculpture that signifies the Aboriginal Period. The sculpture is part of a larger installation called the ‘Travellers’. The ‘Travellers’ sculpture signify the 10 periods of Australia migration, with a sculpture representing each period. The Gayip is the first in the row that represents the Aboriginal community.

The sculpture is made out of Stainless Steel. Here are some statistics:

Length of steel: 223.5m / Mass: 7701kg / Surface area: 121.6m2/ Steel elements: 198

Artists / Sculptors

Nadim Karam along with an indigenous artist Mandy Nicholson designed this particular sculpture representing the Aboriginal Period.

Nadim Karam an eminent sculptor, artist and lecturer, from Beirut was chosen to design the Traveller sculpture. He created the concept of story telling architecture. He has regularly held academic positions in Tokyo and Beirut, and was Dean of the Faculty of Architecture Art and Design at Notre Dame University in Lebanon from 2000-2003.

Mandy has practiced visual art since 1994 and studied Koorie art and design at RMIT University in Bundoora and Monash University. In addition to creating her own works, Mandy has also been a contributor to large-scale public artworks including the Manchester and Melbourne Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Installed

2005 – 2006

Where can I find it?

The Sandridge bridge pedestrian plaza next to the Queensbridge Street in South Bank precinct. The place was a traditional meeting place for the indigenous tribes. It is located across the Yarra River.