It was a full house on Friday evening at Singleton's Arts & Cultural Centre for the official opening of the LiddellWorks exhibition.
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Artists mingled with patrons, visitors and representatives from AGL, the owners of the adjoining power generators Liddell and Bayswater, located between Singleton and Muswellbrook.
A group of 16 artists visited the retired coal-fired Liddell Power Station (closed in April 2023), in its last month's to record, sketch, photograph and variously craft brand new works.
The end result was showcased in the LiddellWORKS Exhibition housed both in Singleton and Muswellbrook's Regional Arts Centre. Through various mediums, the artists responded to Liddell's evocative industrial landscape, having powered NSW for more than 50 years.
Speaking at the opening Arts Upper Hunter, executive director John O'Brien, whose organisation was involved in the LiddellWorks project from its inception, described the closure of Liddell as a invisible transition.
"Closing this power station is equivalent to taking 110,000 cars off the road," he said. "But you cannot actually see that so that is why I describe the the transition as being invisible.
He said among the art works on display were those created from bits and pieces of Liddell a type of metamorphosis so to speak from the dirty dark volcanic mill.
"Power from coal to now power from renewables. A time for healing and hope," he said.
Representing AGL, Rob Cooper, senior manager corporate affairs, spoke affectionately about 'lady Liddell' and her 52 years of power generation.
"Liddell itself may be ugly but the Liddell people always embrace you and for that reason AGL said, from the announcement of the closure in 2015, that the history of the plant and its people must be captured and honoured," he said.
"From there we commissioned historian and former power plant worker Ken Thornton to write the book on Liddell and we organised for former workers to visit the site and take tours, including a special reunion in April 2023, and we collected books and old uniforms to put on display during these visits."
At the same time working with Arts Upper Hunter the idea for LiddellWorks was conceived and this was supported by the state government through their significant funding of the project.
Mr Cooper thanked the 16 incredible artists for their work that is a true reflection of Liddell and the power station's legacy to not only the Upper Hunter but the entire state and beyond.
Artist Rebecca Rath made two, three hour visits, to Liddell before and after closure. "
The first was noisy as the turbines were still operating while the second was so quiet.
The building was not soulless but rather it reminded me of the family factory I used to visit as a child,where like Liddell, there were great relationships built between the workers and managers" she said.
She used charcoal for her drawings of the machinery at Liddell to capture the coal history of the generator.
The future of the Liddell Power Station is now open for speculation. Perhaps a future that preserves the energy powerhouse theme of the past, but with so-called "green" foundations is the answer?
Louise Nichols
From cattle to coal. Once a specialist agriculture writer today its about community, in particular, the Upper Hunter. I have lived and worked in the region for more than 30 years. Land use issues and the future direction of our region. But you cannot take ag out of the picture - our food and how we grow it is the basis of all life. Covering the Hunter and Mid North Coast rural issues is now part of my role with ACM.
From cattle to coal. Once a specialist agriculture writer today its about community, in particular, the Upper Hunter. I have lived and worked in the region for more than 30 years. Land use issues and the future direction of our region. But you cannot take ag out of the picture - our food and how we grow it is the basis of all life. Covering the Hunter and Mid North Coast rural issues is now part of my role with ACM.
