Southgate’s resident major art sculpture Ophelia by artist Deborah Halpern has recently undergone an exciting change as part of the redevelopment, with a major restoration and re-location to the river promenade. The new location now provides an ideal meeting place for Melburnians at Southgate, and has a more direct connection with the artists’ sister artwork Angel, located on the river in Birrarung Marr.
For nearly 20 years Ophelia, by artist Deborah Halpern, has watched over the entrance to Southgate from her courtyard position at BearBrass. As part of Southgate’s new development, Ophelia was temporarily taken back to the artist’s studio for restoration before being permanently relocated to a prominent riverside location, right out the front of Southgate’s main entrance.
Once known as ‘the face of Melbourne,’ Ophelia was inspired by the character from Hamlet, full of both love and sadness.
Halpern says Ophelia is the cousin of Angel, the sculpture that adorned the moat of the National Gallery of Victoria for nearly 20 years and now lives upstream at Birrarung Marr. Together they bring life and humanity to the river.
Southgate are excited to see Ophelia return to a new location and like Halpern can’t wait to hear people say, “Meet me at Ophelia!”
