Yass Valley’s newest public sculpture 'Forgotten' by artist Melanie Lyons has been installed at the Jeir Creek rest area on the Barton Highway and is set to be officially unveiled on Thursday, July 20 at 1pm.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ms Lyons created the sculpture in 2004 as part of a body of work as a tribute to Geordie Whitfield, a close friend and chef-in-training who died in 2002 in a single-car accident on Gunning Road.
The artwork, created from the hoods and doors of wrecked cars, references roadside memorials and also pays tribute to the many other Australians who have lost their lives from road accidents.
Ms Lyons says that while cars symbolise freedom, independence and speed, they can, however, also symbolise “tragically … grief”.
“Yass was the place of my youth, a highway town where cars rule,” she said.
“The grief I experienced was for a close friend killed in a car accident. The flowers are a symbol to remind us of those we have lost.”
The ‘Forgotten’ sculpture also aims to create conversations about road safety by showing how far-reaching a knock-on effect an accident can have in a community.
Following the death of Mr Whitfield, Geordies Kitchen was built at Yass High School in 2003 as a memorial to honour the aspiring chef and ex-student.
The grief I experienced was for a close friend killed in a car accident. The flowers are a symbol to remind us of those we have lost.
- Melanie Lyons, artist
Al Phemister, member of Yass Valley Public Art Committee, said he had known Ms Lyons for a number of years, but it was only recently he learnt that it was Mr Whitfield to whom Ms Lyons dedicated the sculpture.
It was Mr Phemister and his friend Steve Bugden, both former members of Yass NSW Fire and Rescue, who tended to Mr Whitfield’s body at the accident scene in 2002.
Mr Bugden recently left the Fire and Rescue department with post-traumatic stress disorder from attending car accidents.
“I think installation of this sculpture will start conversations and remind everybody of the huge impact that car accidents can have on our lives,” Mr Phemister said.
The committee looks forward to seeing more artworks installed in public spaces.”
Yass Valley mayor Rowena Abbey said ‘Forgotten’ was a fantastic piece of public art by a talented, local artist.
“The true meaning behind the sculpture conveys a powerful road safety message,” Cr Abbey said.
“I would like to thank Melanie and congratulate the Public Art Committee for this project and hope to see many more in the future.”
In 2014, Yass Valley Council voted to purchase the ‘Forgotten’ artwork for $4950, which was featured at the first Sculpture in the Paddock in 2013, after consulting with the Public Art Committee.
Ms Lyons is an alumnus of Yass High School. Her work was selected for two consecutive years for the National Gallery's annual 'SubURBAN' exhibition, which celebrates the best in youth art in the Southern Tablelands.
She has a Bachelor of Arts (visual) from the Australian National University School of Art where she completed honours in 2004.
