A bright, colourful, smiling monster protects the toddlers’ play area at Cook + Phillip Park Pool.
Artist: Philippa Playford
Artwork description
Philippa Playford’s Poolside Cocktail – Coral is a brightly coloured sculpture designed specifically for the Cook + Phillip Park leisure pool, created to be functional as well as decorative.
‘Coral’ is a smiling ‘monster’ figure – which also acts as a wave wall, protecting the indoor toddlers’ play area from the rest of the pool.
The sculpture is created from concrete and glass mosaic tiles, to withstand their constant exposure to water and is decorated with bold, colourful mosaic designs. Playford found inspiration for the designs in natural foliage, such as seeds and pods, which she collected from the area before the leisure centre was built.
The style is quirky, naïve and playful, with a fun, cartoon-like quality that makes ‘Coral’ popular with visitors of all ages.
Artist
Philippa Playford graduated from the University of Sydney’s College of the Arts in sculpture, glass and ceramics and has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally.
She is an experienced community and public artist, with works displayed throughout Sydney and the surrounding regions.
During her varied career she has also turned her hand to set and costume design, including set designs for iconic Australian films Muriel’s Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
She won an award for best costume in the 1995 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade – her winning costume is now part of the Powerhouse Museum collection.
