Gusts Stole Thunder From Art

Philosopher Discovers Coaliath Egg

Dr Glenn Albrecht of the University of Newcastle has astounded scientists around the world with the discovery of the first Coaliath egg. "These creatures have been responsible for unleashing untold harm upon the planet" - Dr Albrecht said today before a packed media conference. "We face catastrophic consequences if we do not deal with this threat head on".

Dr Albrecht has been involved with the police investigations relating to the alleged attack of these flying sharks upon the Breath of Life art installation on Obelisk Hill last month. He led a perilous expedition into their heartland in the Hunter valley. He and his team faced great terror in the recovery of the egg, with the party coursing its way into their perilous lair.

"Our hope is that with this egg we can learn more about what makes these monsters tick, and how we can bring down the beast for the good of life on Earth" - Dr Albrecht said.

Read Dr Albrecht's latest research on Coaliath eggs on his blog.

Cassini spots windmill at outer rings of Saturn

PASADENA, California -- An odd, four-sailed, windmill-shaped feature passing the outer rings of Saturn has captured the interest of scientists with NASA's Cassini mission.

"This is a very strange object, lying in a precise geometric fashion with four nearly equally straight sides," said Dr Henk Nisesui, atmospheric expert and member of Cassini's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

NASA authorities have been working closely with the Australian atmospherics team at Parkes Radio Observatory even since the windmills escaped Australian airspace on January 28. "It is astounding that a windmill from the Breath of Life art installation in Newcastle Australia has reached the outer reaches of our solar system". Dr Niseusi remarked. Cassini scientists have calculated that at this rate it will leave the Solar System around February 17.

"We've never seen anything like this pass any other planet, yet there it is" he said.

Breath of Life in the Media

All in a Day

View the Breath of Life slideshow on Flickr

During the afternoon the site became alive with the vista of windmills all around, the installation formed new viewing points and the Newcastle landscape (looking outwards) seemed so much different. The scene to Nobbys Headlands was framed and the view towards the Kooragang Windmill made it not appear as isolative as usual. The nearby Jesmond House appears closer , not as detached from the hill. The Parade Ground and Military Buildings on the James Fletcher Hospital site are now in focus. Those enjoying the nearby Park, take a quick glance at the Obelisk, it has some new friends for a while. It has a 'Breath of Life'.

The City is captured from all angles.

Breath of Life - Construction Images

John drilling

Beau drilling

Painted Posts

Warren at work

A Star is Born

Caroline Hale and John Noble are interviewed while cutting out sails for the Breath of Life Art Installation Project.

Welcome to Breath of Life Arts Project

Obelisk (Courtesy of Hunter Photobank)

Welcome to Breath of Life - Back to the City Arts Project. Back to the City is a series of temporary urban art interventions taking place in the City of Newcastle during January and February 2008 under the Artistic Directorship of Professor Steffen Lehmann. Seventeen collaborative teams of artists, architects and landscape architects will produce a series of site-specific installations in the city centre. The aim of the project is to investigate contemporary and relevant crossovers between the disciplines, as well as testing and experimenting with new forms of collaboration, bringing into focus the revitalisation process of Newcastle’s city centre.

The ‘Breath of Life’ proposal was to construct and install a series of mini windmills around the Obelisk at the top of town, and in the process promote new directions towards clean renewable energy on the historic site of Newcastle’s windmill which was completed in 1821, and demolished in 1850.

Correlations of the obelisk as symbol of traditional solar worship are also plentiful. The obelisk to the ancient Egyptians symbolised the sun god Ra. It was also believed that the god actually existed within the obelisk, and was worshipped as the dwelling place of the sun-god. During the religious upheaval of Pharoah Akhenaten’s reign the obelisk was said to be a petrified ray of the solar disc aten. (Ref: Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art by James Hall, published by HarperCollins, 1994: p. 75). As a symbolised embodiment of the ray of the sun, it is therefore a fitting reminder to reinvigorate this site with mythical sun and wind energy.

The team was one of 10 successful applications, with a further 7 being invited to prepare installations across the city. There was a feature in the Sun Herald 18/11/07 (“Steel City Prepares to Show Off Its Creative Side” Hunter Extra pp.4-5)

For more information please see the Back to the City website and Breath of Life Proposal (2MB PDF).