COLLEGE ICONS - PRAY AND PERSEVERE
Pray and Persevere is an imposing concrete sculpture on a
designed base and is located in the foyer of the Davisson Street Campus. This
sculpture was created by artist, Gareth Lantzsch and was created by him at the
College throughout 1993 and 1994. As an artist-in-residence, Lantzsch allowed
SMC students to work with him throughout the project.
The main figure of the sculpture is Monica, hands clasped in
prayer. On looking at the sculpture one sees a view of St Monica from the back
though her face is filled with devout determination, nearly trance-like. The
strong, elegant clasped hands and fingers remind us that our patroness was a
woman of deep prayer.
Two naked, youthful figures are shown on the back of Monica
as if climbing to a much sought-after goal. Both genders are represented by the
figures which reminds us of our co-educational environment. Their struggle to
reach the top is a sign of perseverance, well-known to all genuine Monicans.
Pray and Persevere is a physical representation of our
treasured school motto ‘Pray and Persevere’.