Albury Library Museum accepts sculpture of St Matthew's fire remnants
A museum collection created from remnants when a major Albury landmark burned has been expanded.
The Albury Library Museum acquisitions committee this month accepted a sculpture by Kersi Rustomji built from materials he gathered the day after St Matthew's Church was gutted in September 1991.
LATEST WORK: Albury Library Museum has added this sculpture to its collection. "I've even left the dirt and dust and everything on it," artist Kersi Rustomji says. Picture: TARA TREWHELLA
It adds to two other sculptures and five etched slates he donated 17 years ago, also using items he found at the fire scene.
A retired school teacher and amateur artist, Mr Rustomji remembers racing from his then-home in Lavington to join the large crowd watching in shock as the Kiewa Street building went up in flames.
IN OTHER NEWS:
BIG NEWS: The Border Mail of September 16, 1991, reports on the St Matthew's Church blaze in central Albury, watched by a large crowd of shocked onlookers.
The following day he gained permission to go through the rubble and retrieved bits and pieces like timber and roof slate.
His sculptures include a bit of burnt pew carved like a flame, window lead that melted into the shape of a cross mounted on timber and the newest piece that features a fleur-de-lis.
SYMBOLIC: This piece of lead melted into the shape of a cross. It is mounted on burnt timber from St Matthew's. Picture: TARA TREWHELLA
"Nothing has been cleaned, everything has been left in the state it was found," Mr Rustomji said.
"I thought something should be done from the remains, to collect and do something from the remains, whatever is possible, and preserve it as a history of the town for posterity, history of the church too.
"It's a part of the heritage of the city, the cultural heritage."
NEW LIFE: Carved into the shape of a flame, this piece of burnt pew has become a mobile. Picture: TARA TREWHELLA
Albury Library Museum collections officer Sarah Ind said the St Matthew's fire pieces were uncommon.
"Sometimes we'll have relics from a lost building ... but nothing where we have a relic turned into an artwork, so that's really special about these items," she said.
ETCHINGS: Sculptor Kersi Rustomji carved fire images into pieces of fallen roof slate. Picture: TARA TREWHELLA
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