Latest news with #BigBanana
The Advertiser
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
'Big Pear' showdown: the juicy rivalry growing in regional Australia
The regional Victorian town of Shepparton has announced plans to construct the world's largest pear. But there's a problem. The inner southern Canberra suburb of Parkes already has claimed the humble pear. Parkes hosts a cluster of oversized pear sculptures by acclaimed artist George Baldessin The iconic sculptures outside the National Gallery date back to the 1960s. But Shepparton's rich horticulture history could give it the edge. Nearly all of the fruit sold across the country comes from the Goulburn Valley. The project, spearheaded by the Shepparton Big Pear Steering Group chaired by former orchardist Rocky Varapodio, will take some serious fundraising. The group is seeking both private and public funding with the project estimated to cost $1.3 million and include an interpretive centre within the three-storey fibreglass pear structure. If constructed, it would mark the town's second "big thing" - after a 16m sculpture of a murray cod opened on the outskirts of the town earlier this year. Australia is already home to over 150 "Big Things", including the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour and the "Big Prawn" in Ballina. The eye-catching attractions draw attention to local businesses and promote tourism in the region. READ MORE: Cheese dream: scientists say dairy may cause nightmares The regional Victorian town of Shepparton has announced plans to construct the world's largest pear. But there's a problem. The inner southern Canberra suburb of Parkes already has claimed the humble pear. Parkes hosts a cluster of oversized pear sculptures by acclaimed artist George Baldessin The iconic sculptures outside the National Gallery date back to the 1960s. But Shepparton's rich horticulture history could give it the edge. Nearly all of the fruit sold across the country comes from the Goulburn Valley. The project, spearheaded by the Shepparton Big Pear Steering Group chaired by former orchardist Rocky Varapodio, will take some serious fundraising. The group is seeking both private and public funding with the project estimated to cost $1.3 million and include an interpretive centre within the three-storey fibreglass pear structure. If constructed, it would mark the town's second "big thing" - after a 16m sculpture of a murray cod opened on the outskirts of the town earlier this year. Australia is already home to over 150 "Big Things", including the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour and the "Big Prawn" in Ballina. The eye-catching attractions draw attention to local businesses and promote tourism in the region. READ MORE: Cheese dream: scientists say dairy may cause nightmares The regional Victorian town of Shepparton has announced plans to construct the world's largest pear. But there's a problem. The inner southern Canberra suburb of Parkes already has claimed the humble pear. Parkes hosts a cluster of oversized pear sculptures by acclaimed artist George Baldessin The iconic sculptures outside the National Gallery date back to the 1960s. But Shepparton's rich horticulture history could give it the edge. Nearly all of the fruit sold across the country comes from the Goulburn Valley. The project, spearheaded by the Shepparton Big Pear Steering Group chaired by former orchardist Rocky Varapodio, will take some serious fundraising. The group is seeking both private and public funding with the project estimated to cost $1.3 million and include an interpretive centre within the three-storey fibreglass pear structure. If constructed, it would mark the town's second "big thing" - after a 16m sculpture of a murray cod opened on the outskirts of the town earlier this year. Australia is already home to over 150 "Big Things", including the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour and the "Big Prawn" in Ballina. The eye-catching attractions draw attention to local businesses and promote tourism in the region. READ MORE: Cheese dream: scientists say dairy may cause nightmares The regional Victorian town of Shepparton has announced plans to construct the world's largest pear. But there's a problem. The inner southern Canberra suburb of Parkes already has claimed the humble pear. Parkes hosts a cluster of oversized pear sculptures by acclaimed artist George Baldessin The iconic sculptures outside the National Gallery date back to the 1960s. But Shepparton's rich horticulture history could give it the edge. Nearly all of the fruit sold across the country comes from the Goulburn Valley. The project, spearheaded by the Shepparton Big Pear Steering Group chaired by former orchardist Rocky Varapodio, will take some serious fundraising. The group is seeking both private and public funding with the project estimated to cost $1.3 million and include an interpretive centre within the three-storey fibreglass pear structure. If constructed, it would mark the town's second "big thing" - after a 16m sculpture of a murray cod opened on the outskirts of the town earlier this year. Australia is already home to over 150 "Big Things", including the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour and the "Big Prawn" in Ballina. The eye-catching attractions draw attention to local businesses and promote tourism in the region. READ MORE: Cheese dream: scientists say dairy may cause nightmares
Courier-Mail
03-07-2025
- Business
- Courier-Mail
Shepperton, Victoria could build a giant pear in new tourism bid
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Amid the success of Australia's 'big things', such as the Big Banana and the Big Pineapple, a Victorian town is now advocating to build the biggest pear on Earth. The city of Shepparton has a proposal for a three-storey pear right in the heart of the Goulburn Valley Rocky Varapodio, a spokesman for the steering group seeking to get the monument on the map and into reality, said these sorts of attractions can 'highlight' regional towns. A proposed Giant Pear to sit at the southern entrance of Shepparton. Picture: Bruce Mactier Building Designers 'We've been doing a lot of work on this and the background of it is that the fruit industry has really over the years talked about having a structure in the region that really symbolises and recognises fruit growing in the area,' he told Triple M. Mr Varapodio said the giant pear was about 'telling a story' about the region. 'We think the time is probably right now to recognise this industry that's given so much to this region,' he said. If constructed, it would mark the town's second 'big thing' - after a 16m sculpture of a murray cod opened at the Arcadia Native Fish Hatchery on the outskirts of the town. Australia has over 1000 'big' landmarks across the country - one of the most famous being the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour and the 'Big Prawn' in Ballina. Shepparton's proposed Giant Pear would join a smorgasbord of 'big' tourist attractions all over the country, such as the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour. Picture: Getty Images The Goulburn Valley is well known for its pears, with 90 per cent of the fruit sold across the country coming from the region. Mr Varapodio explained that potentially $2 million could be generated back into the economy, from the giant pear. Speaking to Guardian Australia, he said: 'What we would really like to achieve out of this is for it to be a structure that is in the shape of the pear, and looks like a pear, that will symbolise fruit growing in the region'. 'But, more importantly, we want it to be a really good experience when you enter into the pear – we want you to have an exceptional, interactive experience.' Early estimates have suggested the project could cost $1.3 million. The steering group is seeking funding from all levels of government to help get the project off the ground. Mr Varapodio explained the next step would be to get a structural design done, laying out his plan for it to be done 'properly and tastefully'. 'We want it to be a whole interactive experience when you walk into it with some really good technology such as touch screens and displays that really tell a story about this industry that's been so solid for this region,' he explained. 'It's hard to put a time frame on it but we would really like this to happen over the next few years.' Originally published as 'Exceptional': Victorian town to push for three-storey Big Pear in huge $1.3m tourism push
Perth Now
03-07-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Bizarre giant pear proposal for Aussie town
Amid the success of Australia's 'big things', such as the Big Banana and the Big Pineapple, a Victorian town is now advocating to build the biggest pear on Earth. The city of Shepparton has a proposal for a three-storey pear in the heart of the Goulburn Valley, led by The Steering Group. Rocky Varapodio, a spokesman for the group, said these sorts of attractions can 'really highlight' regional towns. A proposed Giant Pear to sit at the southern entrance of Shepparton. Bruce Mactier Building Designers Credit: News Corp Australia 'We've been doing a lot of work on this and the background of it is that the fruit industry has really over the years talked about having a structure in the region that really symbolises and recognises fruit growing in the area,' he told Triple M. Mr Varapodio said the giant pear was about 'telling a story' about the region. 'We think the time is probably right now to recognise this industry that's given so much to this region,' he said. The Goulburn Valley is well known for its pears, with 90% of the fruit sold across the country coming from the region. Mr Varapodio explained that potentially $2 million could be generated back into the economy, from the giant pear. However, early estimates have suggested the project could cost $1.3 million, with the steering group seeking government, council and stakeholder support to fund the idea. 'The next phase is to get a structural design done because we want it to be done properly and tastefully, we want it to be a whole interactive experience when you walk into it with some really good technology such as touch screens and displays that really tell a story about this industry that's been so solid for this region,' Mr Varapodio said. 'It's hard to put a time frame on it but we would really like this to happen over the next few years.'
Los Angeles Times
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Contemporary art served sunny side up at the Great Park Gallery in Irvine
At the Great Park Gallery in Irvine, visitors have the chance to walk on eggshells. The surface in question is part of an installation from Seattle-based artist Eriko Kobayashi called 'Sunny Side Up.' Two sculptures made of glass eggs, sunny side up, float in front of an orange and blue sky painted on the wall. Below, glass-blown 'eggplants,' green stems with white eggs perched on top like a tulip bulb, sprout from the eggshell-covered ground. The work is featured in the gallery's latest exhibit, 'More Than You Can Chew.' 'It is deigned for the audience to walk through the eggshells,' said Adam Sabolick, arts program coordinator for the city of Irvine. 'It is a very specific sensation.' 'More Than You Can Chew,' on view through April 20, showcases contemporary artworks that use food as a way to examine culture and politics. Co-curated by Sabolick with Andrea Chavez, the group exhibition features 17 artists from around the world who use a multitude of techniques to express their viewpoints. For Kobayashi's meditation on eggs, she worked with a bakery to collect the shells and cleaned them by hand for the installation. 'For me, a sunny-side-up egg is an icon that celebrates the morning,' Kobayashi's artist statement reads. 'Each morning, when I crack an egg and drop it into a hot pan, a unique shape emerges in white with a sizzling sound. Every day, the egg white appears to repeat itself, yet it never takes the same shape. To me, it seems like a cloud, the shape of the clouds in the sky is never the same.' The delicate shells crumble beneath the feet of gallery visitors with a satisfying crunch. The details of the work, like a glass raw egg sliding through the shells, are a testimony to Kobayashi's ability as an artist. 'There is this lightheartedness to the work but also the skill set of producing glass work like this is somebody who is clearly well experienced,' said Sabolick. Other exhibiting artists include Paola de la Calle, Edward Givis, Jody Joyner, Amy S. Kauffman, Alicja Kozlowska, Thomas Linder, Dustin Metz, Baby Mueller, Andrew Orloski, Kristopher Raos, Colin Roberts, Luke Rogers, Kim Rugg, Henrik Munk Soerensen, Michael Thế Khôi Trần and Sarah Anne Ward, each using different media and processes. 'With this exhibition, there are a lot of different forms of painting represented and forms of sculpture represented,' said Sabolick. Colin Roberts, a Los Angeles-based artist, commissioned a sculpture specifically for the show, 'Big Banana,' a large-scale realistic sculpture of the ripe fruit, complete with spotting. 'It is kind of a reflection on the process of aging and the psychology of going through life experiencing things that kind of leave a mark on you,' said Sabolick. Nearby, sculptures of a smaller scale from Alicja Kozlowska include a can of Heinz baked beans, bottles of Coca-Cola and a can of sardines that look familiar. But upon closer examination, it becomes clear the unassuming objects are soft sculptures fashioned from art quilt, a creative textile, and finished with embroidery to appear realistic. A cluster of figs made of deep purple patterned fabrics and adorned with glass beads and Lego pieces for the seeds, stems and flesh, sparkle like freshly cut fruit. The skills of the culinary and fine arts worlds collide in the work of Henrik Munk Soerensen, whose pieces are carved from wood using only hand tools. 'What is also important to note about Henrik's work is he studied gastronomy, so he is a chef in his own right and has this insane understanding of food through a culture lens, and a chemical lens and dietary lens,' said Sabolick. After studying food, Soerensen earned his master of fine arts, and Sabolick said it is easy see the artist's eclectic background present in the work. A block of wood is chipped away at, peeled almost, to reveal a ceramic dish filled with the messy remnants of a lasagna dinner. The peaks and valleys of the leftovers reveal stratification not unlike a raised-relief map. The detailed painting on the wood emulates the look of a ceramic baking dish complete with a poppy design underneath the slick of red-orange grease. 'He uses the oil paint in so many different ways. The flowers that are a decorative part of the dish are oil painted, and all of the parts that represent the juices of the dish are also oil painted,' said Sabolick. Paintings from Orange County-based artist Edward Givis focus on the beauty of everyday objects and fleeting moments so often overlooked: a perfect slice of cherry pie, for instance. 'He calls his work 'the most beautifully generic moment,'' said Sabolick. 'You can take something as simple as a slice of pie or strawberry cake and elevate it through the process of how it is painted and the attention to detail you put into the colors describing a shadow.' The paintings are comforting in their familiarity, and up close the deep precision used to blend together the colors that make up a graham cracker crust deserve the viewer's admiration. Despite the rain on opening day, Jan. 26, nearly 300 visitors showed up for the exhibition, a testament Sabolick said, to local interest in food as well as a connection to art. 'Everybody has different taste and everybody wants something different out of art, and I like being able to tell a story through a range of approaches,' he said. In conjunction with the exhibition, the Great Park is hosting art activities, including DIY button-making on Feb. 1 and an Origami for Breakfast event on April 19, in which visitors can learn to fold a paper breakfast. Live Jazz is scheduled for the Palm Court on Feb. 14, March 15 and April 19. The Great Park Gallery is located at 8000 Great Park Blvd. in Irvine, and admission is free. For more details on art activities and hours of operation, visit
