One of my first impressions of Ballarat came from an encounter with Inge Kings large, graceful sculpture Grand Arch in Alfred Deakin Place near the Art Gallery of Ballarat. I knew that Inge was a rarity in the era of Australian modernist sculpture – a woman and a migrant who had taught herself to weld in the late 1950s and began making significant public artworks in the 1970s. Against some significant odds, Inge had become big, really big in the history of Australian public art.
The presence of Grand Arch in Ballarat told me that this was a place that valued Inge’s life and work. A place that cared that a woman had worked hard to be seen and recognised in a male dominated art world. Inge’s presence pointed to female leaders who had made their mark on this city; it was no surprise to discover that former Gallery Director Margaret Rich was instrumental in the commissioning of Grand Arch in Ballarat. And today I see it as a symbol for the intelligent and considerate female arts leaders around me encouraging us that our work and the stories we tell are important and can bring about change.
#ingeking #iwd2020 #creativecityballarat #knowmyname
Image: Courtesy of Australian Galleries