Carmel Wallace - Full Fathom Five: online gallery

Local artist Carmel Wallace was commissioned by the Glenelg Shire Council to create a contemporary sculpture and art installation based on the 1859 SS Admella shipwreck and the role of one of the Council's most significant artefacts, the Portland Lifeboat, in this tragedy. The universal human experiences of grief, suffering, loss and transformation are explored in the artworks.

Of the 113 people on board the SS Admella, 89 lives were lost, including 14 children. Survivors not only endured eight days and nights on the remains of the ship in wild and chilly seas with virtually no food or drinking water, but also experienced the horror of watching as those 89 died of thirst, drowned, or were taken by sharks. Animals were also affected with only one of the six horses onboard surviving.

Both the power of the human spirit and of nature are part of the Admella story. The project examined the positive human values of courage, endurance and selflessness inherent in the challenging and protracted rescue undertaken by the crews of the Portland Lifeboat, whaleboat and the Ladybird.

The perspective of the survivors was similarly examined along with consideration of how rescue and survival might be thought of in both human and environmental terms.

There are many references to the local marine environment in the artworks, notably in the kelp inspired undulations of the bronze sculpture and its encrusted surface, and in the accompanying film by Peter Corbett of Powerhouse Productions with music by Michael Wallace.

The name of the exhibition and sculpture was inspired by Ariel's Song from Shakespeare's The Tempest:

Full fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made; Those are pearls that were his eyes; Nothing of him that doth fade, but doth suffer a sea-change; Into something rich and strange... 

Full-Fathom-Five-Exhibition-Catalogue.pdf(PDF, 9MB)

 

Submariner 1997. An earlier work, included for its uncanny relationship to Cargo Totem and Rebirth

Submariner 1997. An earlier work, included for its uncanny relationship to Cargo Totem and Rebirth

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Cargo Totem. This work was inspired by stories relating to Admella's cargo, in particular the 93 tons of copper and 6 horses, including 3 race horses - Jupiter, Shamrock and The Barber. Of the three race horses, The Barber made it to the beach and was found fit enough to go to Melbourne, via Portland, where he stayed overnight at Macs Hotel and soon after ran in the first Champion Sweepstakes.

Cargo Totem.This work was inspired by stories relating to Admella's cargo, in particular the 93 tons of copper and 6 horses, including 3 race horses - Jupiter, Shamrock and The Barber. Of the three race horses, The Barber made it to the beach and was found fit enough to go to Melbourne, via Portland, where he stayed overnight at Macs Hotel and soon after ran in the first Champion Sweepstakes.

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Rebirth.Rebirth considers cycles of life, birth, death and renewal; of loss, and transformation. As demonstrated by the Admella shipwreck, tragedy takes us to the depths of despair, but also inspires the nobler aspects of human nature: courage, bravery, endurance and selflessness - a willingness to put one's own life at risk to save others.

Rebirth.Rebirth considers cycles of life, birth, death and renewal; of loss, and transformation. As demonstrated by the Admella shipwreck, tragedy takes us to the depths of despair, but also inspires the nobler aspects of human nature: courage, bravery, endurance and selflessness - a willingness to put one's own life at risk to save others.

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Storm-Rider Cope. Copes, as opposed to cloaks are used for rituals, often spiritually related, including occasions such as processions, blessings and burials. They feature a decorative shield-shape on the back embellished with symbols denoting affiliation/purpose, and also a wide decorative band across the diameter. This cope pays homage to the rituals of life-saving and the protective actions that require courage, bravery, selflessness and heroism.

Storm-Rider Cope. Copes, as opposed to cloaks are used for rituals, often spiritually related, including occasions such as processions, blessings and burials. They feature a decorative shield-shape on the back embellished with symbols denoting affiliation/purpose, and also a wide decorative band across the diameter. This cope pays homage to the rituals of life-saving and the protective actions that require courage, bravery, selflessness and heroism.

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Messages-in-a-Life-jacket. This Lifejacket is modelled on the 1854 cork life-jacket in style, but recycled materials from contemporary life-jackets replace canvas, and plastic bottles that once contained water now hold ephemera relating to the Admella shipwreck, contemporary emergency services and the local marine environment. It has become a vehicle for initiating stories relating to heroism, rescue and environment.

Messages-in-a-Life-jacket. This Lifejacket is modelled on the 1854 cork life-jacket in style, but recycled materials from contemporary life-jackets replace canvas, and plastic bottles that once contained water now hold ephemera relating to the Admella shipwreck, contemporary emergency services and the local marine environment. It has become a vehicle for initiating stories relating to heroism, rescue and environment.

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Full Fathom Five. This life-jacket was modelled on ones invented in 1854 by Captain Ward, an inspector for Britain's Royal National Lifeboat Institution. IT specifically honours the rescue crew of the Portland Lifeboat who wore such jackets; their courage, bravery, endurance and selflessness in putting the lives of others before their own. Its meaning and implications go beyond literal interpretation to embrace ideas of what is lost, what we value, what we fight to save. Carmel made the initial sculpture from canvas and vintage cork, adding kelp holdfasts and other marine detritus to give the effect of it having been underwater for a long time. Sitting on a piece of local stone and in the process of transformation, its form mimics a typical gesture of kelp as it moves with underwater currents. The sculpture was cast by Ewan Coates.

Full Fathom Five. This life-jacket was modelled on ones invented in 1854 by Captain Ward, an inspector for Britain's Royal National Lifeboat Institution. IT specifically honours the rescue crew of the Portland Lifeboat who wore such jackets; their courage, bravery, endurance and selflessness in putting the lives of others before their own. Its meaning and implications go beyond literal interpretation to embrace ideas of what is lost, what we value, what we fight to save. Carmel made the initial sculpture from canvas and vintage cork, adding kelp holdfasts and other marine detritus to give the effect of it having been underwater for a long time. Sitting on a piece of local stone and in the process of transformation, its form mimics a typical gesture of kelp as it moves with underwater currents. The sculpture was cast by Ewan Coates.

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Tragedy Series: Grief. Sombre colours, thick, dense, heavy material with falling forms that pool like water and grief. Acclaimed in 1859 as one of the most terrible maritime disasters on record, the wreck of the Admella became a benchmark for measuring tragedy at sea. It was not only that 89 people, including 14 children, died, but also the terrible suffering they experienced in their struggle for survival over an extended period whilst they watched fellow travellers slowly die of thirst, exposure, drowning or being taken by sharks. The 24 survivors spent 8 days on the wreck in wild weather and huge seas with waves constantly breaking over them. The suffering included animals as 5 of the 6 horses on board perished.

Tragedy Series: Grief. Sombre colours, thick, dense, heavy material with falling forms that pool like water and grief. Acclaimed in 1859 as one of the most terrible maritime disasters on record, the wreck of the Admella became a benchmark for measuring tragedy at sea. It was not only that 89 people, including 14 children, died, but also the terrible suffering they experienced in their struggle for survival over an extended period whilst they watched fellow travellers slowly die of thirst, exposure, drowning or being taken by sharks. The 24 survivors spent 8 days on the wreck in wild weather and huge seas with waves constantly breaking over them. The suffering included animals as 5 of the 6 horses on board perished.

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Tragedy Series: Pain & Healing. Blankets, especially those with satin borders, are associated with warmth and nurture. I imagine blankets like these on the beds of Macs Hotel, comforting the Admella survivors. Pink or 'flesh-colour' is evocative of skin. In this case the 'skin' has been embroidered with wound-like forms and anxiety-ridden stitches. Surgeon's sutures indicate that healing has begun.

Tragedy Series: Pain & Healing. Blankets, especially those with satin borders, are associated with warmth and nurture. I imagine blankets like these on the beds of Macs Hotel, comforting the Admella survivors. Pink or 'flesh-colour' is evocative of skin. In this case the 'skin' has been embroidered with wound-like forms and anxiety-ridden stitches. Surgeon's sutures indicate that healing has begun.

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These Refuge works directly reference Macs Hotel through use of wallpaper removed in 2025. Nineteen of the twenty-four survivors recuperated in Portland, many at Macs Hotel [including the only woman, Bridget Ledwith]. The sole surviving racehorse, The Barber, stayed in the Macs’ stables overnight on his way to Melbourne where he ran in the Flying Buck’s Champion Race. The flocked velour wallpaper-remnants have a velvet-like softness that embrace older, distressed fragments, just as the hotel too embraced and nursed the distressed shipwreck victims.Tangible layers of the hotel history are evident in these fragments. Perhaps the creamy-yellow wallpaper layer was on the walls when the survivors were brought to Macs Hotel

These Refuge works directly reference Macs Hotel through use of wallpaper removed in 2025. Nineteen of the twenty-four survivors recuperated in Portland, many at Macs Hotel [including the only woman, Bridget Ledwith]. The sole surviving racehorse, The Barber, stayed in the Macs’ stables overnight on his way to Melbourne where he ran in the Flying Buck’s Champion Race. The flocked velour wallpaper-remnants have a velvet-like softness that embrace older, distressed fragments, just as the hotel too embraced and nursed the distressed shipwreck victims.Tangible layers of the hotel history are evident in these fragments. Perhaps the creamy-yellow wallpaper layer was on the walls when the survivors were brought to Macs Hotel

(JPG, 4MB)
These Refuge works directly reference Macs Hotel through use of wallpaper removed in 2025. Nineteen of the twenty-four survivors recuperated in Portland, many at Macs Hotel [including the only woman, Bridget Ledwith]. The sole surviving racehorse, The Barber, stayed in the Macs’ stables overnight on his way to Melbourne where he ran in the Flying Buck’s Champion Race. The flocked velour wallpaper-remnants have a velvet-like softness that embrace older, distressed fragments, just as the hotel too embraced and nursed the distressed shipwreck victims.Tangible layers of the hotel history are evident in these fragments. Perhaps the creamy-yellow wallpaper layer was on the walls when the survivors were brought to Macs Hotel

These Refuge works directly reference Macs Hotel through use of wallpaper removed in 2025. Nineteen of the twenty-four survivors recuperated in Portland, many at Macs Hotel [including the only woman, Bridget Ledwith]. The sole surviving racehorse, The Barber, stayed in the Macs’ stables overnight on his way to Melbourne where he ran in the Flying Buck’s Champion Race. The flocked velour wallpaper-remnants have a velvet-like softness that embrace older, distressed fragments, just as the hotel too embraced and nursed the distressed shipwreck victims.Tangible layers of the hotel history are evident in these fragments. Perhaps the creamy-yellow wallpaper layer was on the walls when the survivors were brought to Macs Hotel

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Undercurrent series #1-5. objects collected from the tidelines of Discovery Bay. Transformation and loss in environmental terms.

Undercurrent series #1-5. objects collected from the tidelines of Discovery Bay. Transformation and loss in environmental terms.

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Float Totem. I found it interesting to study these cork blocks and their cross-sections, and contemplate their journey from cork-tree to life-jacket. I learnt more about the properties of cork as I cut some of them up to make the life-jacket sculpture which was then cast as my final bronze piece. Were these blocks harvested from Portland’s historic cork tree, Quercus suber, planted as an acorn in Percy Street in 1875? I found myself looking in a new light at this beautiful old tree and feeling thankful for all that trees provide.

Float Totem. I found it interesting to study these cork blocks and their cross-sections, and contemplate their journey from cork-tree to life-jacket. I learnt more about the properties of cork as I cut some of them up to make the life-jacket sculpture which was then cast as my final bronze piece. Were these blocks harvested from Portland’s historic cork tree, Quercus suber, planted as an acorn in Percy Street in 1875? I found myself looking in a new light at this beautiful old tree and feeling thankful for all that trees provide.

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