A COLLABORATIVE new public artwork will be displayed outside Manly Art Gallery & Museum.

A beautiful piece called Strange Oasis will be permanently displayed on the roof of the Gallery, gently illuminated and draws attention to the unique location of the building while also celebrating the oceanside view of the Manly beach.

The artwork acknowledges the unusual co-location of the beach and museum and honours the gallery's role as a place of creative sanctuary and respite. It's worth checking out if you're in the local Manly area.

In the words of its artist, Elliott Routledge,

"Strange Oasis is a light-based work that celebrates Manly as a place of pleasure and as a hidden paradise just moments away from the frenzy of Sydney city."

Its reference to an oasis relates to Manly Art Gallery and Museum as a "place of creative refuge and exploration" surrounded by the ocean and beachside recreation areas.

"Nowhere else can you experience this strange but amazing weave of the arts and beachside culture," he said.

Mayor Sue Heins said Council supports high-quality public art and believes it enlivens the local landscape and builds local community identity.

"Strange Oasis' location, on the roof of the Manly Art Gallery and Museum, decidedly draws our attention to the outstanding contribution it makes to the cultural life of the local community while situated in a fantastic beach setting."

Routledge is a contemporary abstract artist known for his public art installations all around Australia and worldwide. His artworks respond to surrounding architecture, people and place.

He is mainly known for his landmark mural in Pitt Street, Sydney.