22-year-old Sunshine Coast artist Harmony Linthorne brings a whimsical, gold-and-silver mosaic sculpture to Currumbin Beach.
CURRUMBIN, GOLD COAST: More than 100,000 art lovers visiting Currumbin Beach for Queensland’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition will encounter a dazzling new addition to the coastline.
Exhibiting among over 100 national and international artists at the 2026 SWELL Sculpture Festival (11–20 September), emerging Sunshine Coast artist Harmony Linthorne has unveiled Morning Star, a monumental 3x3x3-metre, 10-point star mosaic clad in shimmering silver and gold mirror tiles.
Fresh from graduating with a Bachelor of Visual Art from Griffith University, 22-year-old Linthorne is no stranger to SWELL. Having first captured public attention at the festival with her interactive project Wheelie Blossoms, Linthorne returns with a mature, site-responsive sculpture that transforms Currumbin’s golden sands into an immersive, reflective landscape.
Positioned against the surf, Morning Star catches the ocean sunlight, fragmenting the surrounding beach and viewers into a tapestry of shifting reflections.
“Morning Star is designed to play with light and space while prompting moments of self-awareness,” Ms Linthorne said.
“By using mirrored surfaces outdoors, the artwork blurs the boundary between the viewer and the surrounding environment. As people move around the star, their reflection fragments alongside the sky and ocean, inviting them to consider their own physical presence within an ever-changing landscape.”
Ms Linthorne’s practice focuses heavily on audience interaction and psychological engagement. Morning Star draws on celestial imagery and ornamental excess to spark both playful wonder and moments of vulnerability, creating shifting encounters that alternate between attraction and disorientation.
The 2026 SWELL Sculpture Festival turns the Gold Coast coastline into a giant creative playground, offering visitors artist talks, guided sculpture walks, live music, workshops, and beachfront wellness sessions alongside the world-class outdoor installations.
