Artist

"It moved me to tears to see the first cave paintings that were created so long ago."

Lippo Centre Murals, Hong Kong
West Tower
 

The West Tower mural, entitled "The Unity of Man," represents the most pre-eminent features of the Australian continent with its old and new historical landmarks. The focal point of this mural is man, the super animal of all seasons.

The Western mural has a focus of an abstract male figure representing the famous bushranger Ned Kelly. He stands with one arm lifted, his rudimentary helmet looking postively northwards towards a bright future. Next to him stands an aboriginal warrior holding a torch of flaming bark to provide light and heat for the world. The belt around his waist also represents the stratified rock caves and historic sacred sites of the Aboriginies.

Immediately above the flame is depicted the gigantic head and neck of the mythical Emu-man turned Rainbow serpent. Below the flame is a huge boulder-like shape symbolizing Ayers Rock, which could also be the head of a horse, which plays a dominant role throughout Australia's history.

Flanking the abstract figure of Ned Kelly is the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the unique roof structure of the Opera House, with its soaring sails blending harmoniously into the shape of a shark, from whose gaping jaws pour forth the rich mineral treasures of an ancient continent.


 

Along the side panel are symbolic images and good omens, derived from auspicious Chinese numbers like one, six, and eight, meaning the Royal Road to Prosperity ending with a giant gold nugget and a river of gold flowing towards the ground.

In creating these two murals, Gerard was emulating the strong sculptural feelings projected by Paul Rudolph. There are strong contrasts between the two murals, although both are dynamic and expressive of growth.

For the West Tower mural, Gerard used more angular, hard edged stones, hard as diamonds, symbolic of Western society.

For the East Tower mural, Gerard used more botanic, rounder, softer textures, soft as a pearl, symbolic of Eastern people. Gerard traveled extensively in search of materials for the two murals, which are a synthesis of ceramics, stones, rocks, pock-marked boulders, stratified rocks, volcanic and siliceous rock.

 


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