On Saturday morning 16/12/2017 Reflection, a permanent memorial symbolising the spontaneous sea of flowers laid by thousands of people following the December 2014 Martin Place siege was unveiled.

Designed by award-winning architect, Professor Richard Johnson AO, and artist Jess Dare.

210 flowers, 12 varieties, 19 colours, no two alike. Gerberas, daisies, spider chrysanthemums, NSW Christmas bush, roses, carnations, flowering gum, lisianthus, agapanthus, native iris, sunflowers for Tori Johnson and hydrangeas for Katrina Dawson.

Each flower is unique, each cut and formed by hand, creating all these beautiful nuances, little variations, a slightly curled or ruffled petal a bend in the stem etc. Inviting people to spend time looking at individual flowers and exploring their subtle variations.

The handcrafted flowers in mirrored cubes inlaid into the pavement capture a moment in time, symbolic, reflective, quiet and still.

“It has been my greatest honor and privilege to create the flowers for this permanent memorial.” – Jess Dare

For more information about the memorial please follow go to

http://www.cityartsydney.com.au/artwork/reflection/

Photography by Brett Boardman

Reflection, is a permanent memorial symbolising the spontaneous sea of flowers laid by thousands of people following the December 2014 Martin Place siege. Designed by Professor Richard Johnson AO, the artwork comprises 210 mirrored cubes embedded into the pavement, each containing an individual flowers which I hand crafted.

Making up the 210 flowers are 12 varieties in 19 colours; Gerberas, daisies, spider chrysanthemums, NSW Christmas bush, roses, carnations, flowering gum, lisianthus, agapanthus, native iris, sunflowers for Tori Johnson and hydrangeas for Katrina Dawson.

Each flower is unique, each cut and formed by hand, creating all these beautiful nuances, little variations, a slightly curled or ruffled petal a bend in the stem etc. Inviting people to spend time looking at individual flowers and exploring their subtle variations.

I do not try to replicate nature, instead the flowers are my interpretations and memories of nature with small abstractions. I've simplified the flowers to more geometric forms with simple lines and slight ambiguities. I like that people can view the flowers and interpret the varieties differently. 

For more information about the memorial please follow go to

http://www.cityartsydney.com.au/artwork/reflection/

Photography by Grant Hancock