Dimensions
Life size
Medium
Bronze
Style
Contemporary Sculpture, Figurative, Community
Location
South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula
Description
South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula has a rich history with the grains industry and the community of Cummins wanted to recognize their past with a piece of public art. The physical efforts of the wheat lumper was critical to loading and unloading wheat bags at the railway siding throughout the Eyre Peninsula. A small park known as the Railway Triangle is also a part of the town’s heritage. Gillie and Marc decided to honour both these things by installing their sculpture of a Wheat Lumber in the park. The sculpture pays tribute to the men who used to carry and stack bags of wheat, often up for 90 kilograms, for transportation. The idea came following the release of the book, Grain Handling: The Way It Was by the late Jim Cronin. These men were instrumental in feeding the people of Australia through their hard work and dedication. Incorporating historical public art enriches a location, giving it context through the careful selection of site-specific pieces that tell an inspiring story.
