Asterisk

NSW Govt / Westconnex Sydney 202-2024

On Gadigal and Kameygal traditional land, at the entrance of new sculpture parklands in Sydney NSW, the star-shaped Asterisk is a stone compass intersecting Country, cultures, place and time. Named after the Ancient Greek word asteriskos meaning 'little star', Asterisk points to Ginan, a small star in the Southern Cross, which was internationally renamed in 2017 with its traditional Australian Aboriginal astronomy star-name. Combining celestial form with ancient stones, the sculpture explores the metaphysical and mystical realms of Earth and Sky. It evokes the ancient journeys and stellar navigation systems which guided travellers over land and sea.

Carved from three unique stones from different corners of Australia, the sculpture's intersecting planes reveal markings that trace the history of the oldest continent on Earth. One rock is a white sandstone discovered deep below the sculpture site during new transport tunnel construction and was salvaged by the artist to make a new composite - 'tunnel-stone'. Anchoring rock from the Far West and Far East, this plane holds the memories of a land now reshaped for human's next destinations. Visible from a 30mH mound at St Peters Interchange in the new transport route, shadows track inside the circle of heritage stones which once lined local roads.