Delene White presents a sculptural garden of giant cyclamens that sway and bow, their gentle light offering a welcome and a glow of hope. Many artists look to flowers to construct stories and meaning in their works. Delene White’s installation of cyclamens, made from fabricated sheets of fibreglass, speaks of her own memories and, as we come out of COVID-19 lockdown, may also reflect the experience of others. 

The cyclamen thrives in mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. It has a prolonged flowering period over the colder months and unlike many plants, dies back in the spring, remaining dormant until the following year.  After the darknesses of the past year, it may also signal our own transition towards extended flowering. 

When my grandmother was alive, we would gather together with our families to celebrate Mother’s Day. Cyclamens were firstly used as the table decorations and then became parting gifts, so I have watched them bloom over many seasons. Each flower [evolves] to stand so statuesquely en pointe—with varying degrees of accomplishment. 

The life journey analogy became too delicious … so we are now in the land of the giants and the beautifully watched over cyclamen flowers with their individually upturned and translucent petals have grown into immense forms that will continue to shine light and guide over pathways. 

Delene White, 2021 

Delene White was born in Canberra and studied silversmithing at the Australian National University before accepting a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst scholarship for postgraduate studies in Germany. On her return to Australia, she principally practiced in graphic design, and more recently has returned to work in sculptural form for public and private spaces. 

Image:
Delene White, Flower Power 2021
firbreglass, reclaimed materials
Image courtesy the artist

CMAG on the Square is supported by John Hindmarsh AM