Rain Coming

The City of Hobart public art program commissioned Tasmanian artist, Alex Miles, to create an artwork along the Rivulet Track in response to those communities impacted by the May 2018 floods in the Rivulet catchment area. The aim of the project was to acknowledge the destructive nature of the natural world and its incredible force and to consider how this could be harnessed to build community cohesion, connectivity and resilience through a creative re-imagining of place and space by a site-specific, responsive public art work.

Built around the statement “…through stronger connections with nature and with each other we become more resilient,” a new public artwork, entitled Rain Coming, was installed in the linear park running beside the Hobart Rivulet in late 2019. Commemorating the May 2018 flood event, and celebrating community resilience, the sculpture features an abstract portrayal of a family of black cockatoos flying down the hill and landing in an area where flood levels were at an extreme.

“Many believe that when the black cockatoos fly down from the mountain, it is a sign that rain is on its way,” artist Alex Miles said, explaining her inspiration for the concept.

At the point where the birds are situated, fragments of stories, experiences and reflections from local residents have been inscribed into the existing sandstone paving.

The permanent artwork was commissioned as part of the City of Hobart’s Resilient Hobart program, which is assisting the ongoing flood recovery effort through projects that connect and strengthen the community. It was jointly funded by the Australian and Tasmanian Governments under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

Photos by Andrew Wilson