Wantirna South: Art, movement and cultural connections

The art and design of Wantirna South reflect a range of perspectives. They include Alley Oop at the entrance to the State Basketball Centre, works by art students, a mural created with school participation, and Kamara Morgan’s ceiling artwork in Knox Library. If you’re looking for a hotel in Wantirna South, these themes can add to your understanding of the destination. Taking a closer look at the subject, contributors and message can help you appreciate the different artistic approaches.

Alley Oop: Basketball in motion

Alley Oop is located at the entrance to the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South. The sculpture depicts an athlete in a dance-like motion as they pass the basketball to a teammate. It refers to the alley-oop play, linking a specific basketball action with a movement reminiscent of dance. The sporting action remains recognisable; the dance-like quality describes how it is portrayed. When viewing the work, you can therefore consider both aspects: the play itself and the bodily movement that Alley Oop brings to life.

Student works and school participation

Recent exhibitions at the Paloma Lane light box gallery have featured works by art students from Swinburne’s Wantirna Campus. Unlike Alley Oop, which depicts a specific basketball action, the focus here is on the artists and the exhibition context. The works on display are by art students from the Wantirna Campus. The examples therefore differ not only in subject, but also in whether the focus is on a specific scene or on student works presented in an exhibition.

The mural at Studfield Shopping Centre was created by students from Wantirna College under the guidance of MT Design and Graffix Creative. Here, the creation process is clearly collaborative: the students contributed to the design, with the two groups providing guidance. This sets the mural apart from the exhibition works, which showcased student art. It also raises another question to consider: who creates a work, and what role does guidance play?

Symbolism at Knox Library

Kamara Morgan’s ceiling artwork at Knox Library represents a central meeting place and symbolically connects the library with the Boon Wurrung/Bunurong and Wurundjeri. This connection is part of the work’s message: the meeting place is linked to cultural significance. Unlike a work whose main subject is a single action, this one centres on a relationship. The ceiling artwork’s symbolic character distinguishes it from the sporting and design examples. If you look for symbolism in art, it offers a way to engage with the significance of a meeting place.

The examples can be compared by their respective approaches: Alley Oop foregrounds the action depicted, the mural the design process, and Morgan’s work symbolic meaning. This comparison can help you find the cultural focus that complements your interest in Wantirna South as a destination.

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