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Planting Curiosity

by School Archivist Phoebe Chin

Have you ever paused and had a good look at the mural at the School entrance? You may have wondered about what it depicts, its meaning or its placement.

 

A colourful, geometric mural features abstract shapes and patterns with sections resembling maps and waves. The top portion appears weathered, with areas of missing material, while the lower section is vibrant and intact.

 

In 1997 Ultimo stood between its industrial past and its emerging role as an education and residential precinct. IGS was about to move onto Kelly Street. Diane Jones, the lead architect on the Reg St Leon building project, wanted to integrate public art into the design as a way of giving back to the surrounding area. A collaboration with muralists Lloyd and Jenny Kelemen produced a striking mosaic of an opening seed, representing the potential and growth of young minds as they develop through life, starting at school.

The muralists weren’t the only contributors to the artwork. IGS students made ceramic pieces that were incorporated into the design. These included a submarine, teeth, Einstein, atoms, DNA molecules and a hammer, aligning with the theme of technological progress and life sciences. Aboriginal art elements such as concentric circles and tracking lines create a sense of dynamism and movement in the piece. It is designed to grow with the viewer, with a plethora of possibilities for new interpretations on subsequent viewings.

The pièce de resistance is a circular piece resembling the gold-plated records attached to NASA’s two Voyager probes. Encoded on them are sounds, photographs, languages and artworks that showcase the diversity of life on Earth for connecting with any extraterrestrial life. Its inclusion in the mural reinforces the theme of human curiosity and willingness to connect with the cosmos.

Casting a charming first impression at the School’s entrance, Seeds of the Future remains an integral part of our cultural fabric. Its multilayered nature and composite structure is a poignant reflection of Unity Through Diversity.

 

Five people stand in front of a colourful mosaic mural on an exterior wall, featuring abstract patterns, small figures, and a red bus. Three adults and two pupils are smiling at the camera.
Colourful mosaic mural featuring geometric patterns with blue, tan, green, yellow, and red tiles arranged in circles, arcs, and angular shapes, creating an abstract, artistic design.
Three people are seated at tables working with clay, shaping pieces on newspapers. Art books and clay tools are scattered around as they focus on their projects in a creative, workshop setting.
Students sit around a table in a sunny classroom, working on art projects with clay. Two adults stand in the background, observing. Art supplies and clay pieces cover the table. Large windows show trees outside.
A colourful mosaic mural with geometric patterns and a winding ribbon featuring small, detailed figures and scenes, including people, animals, and objects set against a background of abstract shapes.
A person works on assembling a large, colourful geometric mosaic on the floor, arranging tiles of various colours and shapes to fit a complex abstract pattern.
Colourful mosaic mural featuring geometric shapes, arrows, and wave patterns in earth tones, greens, reds, blues, and golds, with detailed small tiles creating abstract, intricate designs throughout the composition.
A colourful mosaic featuring a clay figure of a person with spiky hair, wearing a coat and blue scarf, surrounded by objects like glasses, a wheel, an alligator, and an octopus, set against yellow and blue tile backgrounds.

 


References

City of Sydney n.d., Seeds of the Future, Accessed 2026-05-04. <https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/murals-and-street-art/seeds-of-the-future>

International Grammar School 2014, Learning Journeys 30 Years of International Grammar School 1984-2014.

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