Lake Ballard

Lake Ballard, West Australia
Originally uploaded by Eissua Etep.

Lake Ballard, a salt lake in the interior of Western Australia, didn't mean much to anyone outside of Menzies (800km north west of Perth), until 2003 when it became a sculpture mecca.

The “Inside Australia” exhibition was commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Perth International Arts Festival in 2003 and an idea of internationaly renowned artist and Turner Prize Winner, Antony Gormley (he of the "Angel of the North" fame in the UK).

He had an idea to bring together two notions of the interior, that which lies within the human being and that which lies at the interior of the continent.

The work is an installation of black abstracted steel figures made by laser scanning the inhabitants of Menzies. These people contributed by having their naked bodies scanned and the resulting scans were used as the basis for making accurate concentrated forms. The resulting sculptures were cast in a special alloy of elements taken from Western Australia and are life-size in height but reduced to one third of their original body volume. They are intense and stick-like bodies that stand out against the brilliant white of the salt lake.

The sculptures stand scattered over 10 square kilometres of the salt lake approximately 55km west from the townsite of Menzies. The lake is an extreme example of the beauty of the Western Australian outback. Sunrise and sunset are the best time to walk through the sculptures.

If you would like to visit Lake Ballard, please note the following:

The sculptures are scattered across the lake and visitors must park at the designated parking bay areas and walk on the lake. PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE ON THE LAKE.

Suitable footwear and sun protection is recommended and take plenty of water with you.

Temperatures can reach scorching highs at certain times throughout the year and the lake reflects the suns rays.

Please be considerate of your environment and take all rubbish away with you or in the bins provided.

Recommended viewing times are in the early morning or late afternoon.

Allow at least 2 hours to walk around the entire installation, and always view the work in a minimum group of two.

Comments

[SUSANNAH]

LAKE BALLARD...IS SIMPLY...BEAUTIFUL.