16A. Growth

Artwork number: 16A
Artist: Donna Fortescue
Description: Metal sculpture 800H x 300 W x 300 D mm that consists of metal rods wrapped around weathered stones.
Artist statement: This sculpture is a visual reflection of the messy, unpredictable path of human life. By wrapping metal wire around smooth, weather-moulded stones, the artwork captures a powerful truth that life is rarely a straight line. Instead, it is a wonderfully complicated journey filled with unexpected chaos and pressure.
The smooth stones represent the heavy hardships we face over time. They embody those difficult moments when we feel completely trapped between a rock and a hard place. The wire twists and tangles tightly around these rocks, mirroring our own internal struggles and confusing realities.
Yet, the core meaning lies within this intense tension. The metal rods do not snap under pressure, they bend, loop and persist.
This artwork proves that hardship is not just an obstacle. It is precisely within these tight, chaotic spaces that we learn to adapt, discover our inner strength and to experience the wonder of life as we grow.