Hidden 2012

Overview

If you figured cemeteries were nothing more than gloomy resting lots, think again. For some of Sydney’s finest design folk, one cemetery in particular serves as an unlikely breeding ground for cutting-edge sculpture, and for the fourth year running they’re out to prove that our cherished deceased still manage to inspire. Launched in 2009, Hidden: A Rockwood Sculpture Walk is basically a stroll through grave sites that have been dressed up with thought-provoking sculpture. Staged inside the grounds of Rockwood Cemetery, the biggest resting ground in the Southern Hemisphere, everything from cement tombstones to bushy scrubland is temporarily transformed into remarkable, and sometimes even vividly colourful, artworks.

In an attempt to highlight the site’s rich history, which runs all the way back to the 1800s, the walk includes things like gelato-toned birds perched high in tree branches (that can’t help draw attention to the estate's impressive greenery) and lacquered pieces of furniture, like chests of drawers and side tables, placed beside graves, luring the curious to spots that may normally be overlooked. A tombstone in the shape of a cross has been given a crocheted onesie further along the trail.

Artists were asked to consider themes of loss, love, death and memory and the results are captivating. To ensure nobody gets lost, organisers have even knocked up an iPhone app to help steer visitors in the right direction throughout the grounds. But, whatever you do, take your time with this one — it’s not every day you find this type of living beauty in the home of the departed.

Details on how to get to Rookwood by public transport are on the Hidden Visitor's Guide. The exhibition is open sunrise to sunset.