A SCULPTURE inspired by Frankston’s maritime history has been unveiled.
Beacon, a sculpture by Matt Calvert, has been installed at the pedestrian overpass between Eel Race Road and Nepean Highway. Calvert says that the artwork “celebrates the connection of the sea and the land, acting as a marker of the way, a directional pointer in the landscape”.
“The work is both a contemporary lighthouse and compass. The corten band and internal steel work that provides the structural support for the glass acts as the directional points of north, south, east and west,” he said. “The compass point forms the centre core of a solid black glass section. As the sunlight hits the glass it will shimmer, as do the waters of the bay nearby. The corten steel elements will weather so that a rusty, orange patina develops, contrasting nicely with the glass. With its height and strong vertical presence, the work will be easily seen by both pedestrians and passing traffic.
“Numerous channel markers and beacons have stood in and around the fringes of Port Phillip Bay since early European settlement. Back in those days Frankston was more accessible by boat than track, and the sea was a major thoroughfare for traders, fishermen and early settlers.”
The eight metre-tall sculpture was completed using a combination of corten steel and laminated plate glass.