This would have to be my all time favourite sculpture. I must have photographed it a dozen times and never been happy with the result. Finally I took an image which, while not perfect, is at least good enough to show.
The sculpture is located within the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden in Adelaide.The Garden was conceived for South Australia’s centenary celebrations, held in 1936. The necessary money was raised by local women and, in 1938, landscape designer Elsie Cornis was commissioned to design the garden.
The resultant design was a simple rectangle with a low decorative brick wall. At the centre of the garden is the sculpture of a female figure, raised on a plinth. This is surrounded by green lawns, and four garden beds with ornamental trees and shrubs at the edges. The simple garden design and stylized figure compliment each other perfectly. It remains a quiet contemplative space.
Melbourne artist Ola Cohn, known for her modernist work, carved the figure over 18 months, using a three-tonne block of Waikerie limestone. When it was unveiled in 1941, the sculpture wasn’t well received by the public. It was criticised for its lack of femininity. Ola Cohn however argued that the piece represented the spirit of womanhood, capable of giving birth to a nation.
