New art puts heart in McLaren Vale

A new public artwork has been installed along Main Road, McLaren Vale this week, celebrating the town’s winemaking heart.

Located on the corner of Hewitt Drive and Main Road, adjacent to the Coast to Vines Rail Trail, the five-metre-tall ‘Heart of Industry’ sculpture celebrates McLaren Vale as the heart of the South Australian wine industry and wine connoisseurs, and their love of McLaren Vale’s fine wines.

The suspended bunch of grapes is visually similar in form to that of a human heart and represents the wine industry as the heart of McLaren Vale. The uprights symbolise wineglasses and the contorted organic growth of grapevine plants, as well as their roots tapping down into the soil in search of water and nutrients. The tendrils also reference the ripples made as wine is poured into a glass, and the circulation of the wine in the tanks or vats during the fermentation process.

The work is made from Corten steel, which naturally rusts, to provide a protective barrier. The colour selected for the grapes, made of fibreglass, has been matched to represent the shiraz grapes which is the dominant variety grown on the region. The sculpture was made to a height of five metres so people can see it easily, and to encourage them to stop, find a park, and explore the artwork and surrounds further. It also allows people to stand under the sculpture and take photos from every angle.

The sculpture was created by artists Danica Gacesa McLean and Trevor Wren, whose major public works are displayed across SA, and the project was the inaugural recipient of the City of Onkaparinga’s Significant Public Art Grant, which will be awarded biennially by council via an open call to artists.

The site was chosen after comprehensive community engagement in 2020–21 as part of the McLaren Vale Main Street Tourism Vision project to encourage more visitors to stop, stay and spend, enhancing the Main Street as an attractive destination with quality visitor experiences.

The selection of the artists was undertaken by key stakeholders including the McLaren Vale Business and Tourism Association.

While there’s still a bit of work to do to clean up the site over the coming weeks, it’s hoped the new piece will help encourage people to stop and enjoy all the Main Street has to offer, with the sculpture already generating lots of discussion among the community.  An official launch of the works will take place in June.

The City of Onkaparinga has a diverse collection of public artworks for you to discover across the region, from large-scale murals to steel sculptural installations and intricate glass work.