Artists Concept

'KEEPING THE FLAME ALIGHT'

COMMEMORATIVE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY SCULPTURE

Burswood Park - Perth - Western Australia

This sculpture identifies and specifically celebrates the most important and key element in the passage of the Olympic Flame through the community. The essence of this concept is the transference of the Flame from person to person.

The drama of this unique moment is captured symbolically through the medium of two figures: one male, one female coming together in a dynamic celebration of the Olympic Spirit as expressed by the passing on of the flame.

These over-lifesize bronze figures are highly accurate portraits of Herb Elliot and Shirley Strickland. They are sculpted and cast in lost wax silicon bronze to the same exacting standards of detail and realism as our existing sculptures already in place on the Heritage Trail. We would like to emphasise that as artists, we have a particular ability to capture likenesses in bronze and thus have been abeled to guarantee a true and realistic representation of Herb Elliot and Shirley Strickland, captured for ever in the prime of their vigor.

It is important to note that the existing Heritage Trail is not a simple Historical "Walk" celebrating the far past. It should be seen as a living, growing, reflection of the best our community has to offer. The characters populating the trail are essentially ' Cultural Icons ' recognised for their contributions to those processes which make a society truly civilized.

Herb Elliot and Shirley Strickland fall well within this definition, their 'Olympian' achievements going far beyond sport itself. We believe our sculpture depicts these great Olympians symbolically passing the Olympic Flame qualifies as a worthy public work of art on all levels. Visually dynamic and arresting in form it also captures and encapsulates the highest of noble ideals as expressed in the spirit of the Olympic Flame

Joan Walsh-Smith

Charles Smith 2001