Sydney-based artist Maria Fernanda Cardoso will create a major new series of sculptures from a rare significant find of approximately 4,000 cubic-metres of 'yellow Sydney' sandstone, harvested and commissioned by TWT Property Group. TWT specialise in establishing quality residential communities with a commitment to art and architecture; they're also the masterminds behind the TWT Creative Precinct – home to over 70 artists, making it the fastest growing creative precinct in the nation.
Quarried from 15 layers on the site of TWT's upcoming NewLife Pyrmont development of 11 high-end terraces located at 63-67 Harris Street. NewLife Pyrmont architects Jackson Teece, working with interior designers DBI, are also incorporating the sandstone blocks into the design of the buildings.
Cardoso was selected from a list of leading Australian artists invited to provide a proposal for the sandstone artwork commissions. Her proposal was selected by TWT as the most outstanding site-specific concept reflecting the beauty and importance of the sandstone. Her series of sculptures, titled Stone Drawings, will transform the stone blocks into unique artworks to honour the history of the site: 'These permanent hand-drawn artworks carved in local sandstone acknowledge the impact of human intervention on the site by individually carving each of the rough hewn blocks. Similar to a paper drawing, the stone line drawings will show the expression of the hand of the artist on the stone, with all their subtle variations and unique characters,' said the artist.
TWT's sandstone extraction will also aid in restoring iconic public buildings in Sydney such as Sydney Hospital, the State Library and the Australian Museum.