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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Entertainment
Kelly Burke

Sydney Opera House: 85,000 oyster shells tell of site’s true story in major public artwork

More than 3000 volunteers gathered and prepared the shells, across more than 100 community workshops.
Restaurant group Merivale contributed the shells of eaten oysters, with others donated by the Opera House’s chief executive, Louise Herron, who owns an oyster lease. Photograph: Daniel Boud

Some 85,000 oyster shells have been hand-polished, drilled, threaded and mounted to create three large-scale public works now open at the Sydney Opera House forecourts.

Quandamooka artist Megan Cope’s new installation, titled Whispers, recognises the history of the Bennelong Point site – namely the plundering of natural resources caused by colonisation.

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