Microsoft Word - Jaime Coolabah Introduction


Coolabah, Vol.2, 2009, ISSN 1988-5946 Observatori: Centre d’Estudis Australians, 

Australian Studies Centre, Universitat de Barcelona 

 

 

1 

 

Introduction 

 

Jaime de Cordoba 

 

Last July 2008, we were able to organise a particularly special event: the Myth, history 

and memory sculpture show for the Centre d’ Estudis Australians (Australian Studies 

Centre) international congress with the same title. In this volume of Coolabah we are 

able to offer the reader a closer understanding of the process of how the exhibition came 

about, how each artist approached the subject and the end result. 

 

The ten sculptors that contributed to this exhibition came from different backgrounds 

but all had the same purpose in mind: to translate the idea of myth, history and memory 

into three dimensional structures.  

 

The Exhibition brought together teachers of Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona, 

special students selected from the same university and special guest artists. 

 

As the Coordinator of the exhibition, it was my pleasure to take part in its inauguration, 

in the course of which I pointed out: 

 

 

Sculpture is both the noisiest of culture’s children but also the quietest. It is born 

breaking mountains, striking metal and chipping our trees. When it is brought into 

disrepute by political or social changes it immediately becomes the main 

archaeological witness of historical facts.  

 

In its creation, thought must work next to all the strident sounds of the technique. Our 

workshops are the opposite pole to libraries. Dust, fire and noise are welcome. 

However, once the sculptures are concluded, they move into a different realm: the 

mythical silence of their result.  

 

Now readers will be able to look at some pictures of the exhibition and texts by the 

sculptors explaining their leitmotivs behind the making of the sculptures for the 

Congress.