Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2014

Sculpture by the Sea is one of the world’s largest free to the public arts events, with an annual exhibition staged in Bondi featuring over 100 sculptures by contemporary artists from Australia and around the world. We are thrilled to launch SxS on the Cultural Institute with our 18th annual exhibition, extending it’s reach to an international audience. Founded in 1997 as a one-day exhibition along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk and attended by some 25,000 people, Sculpture by the Sea now attracts an estimated 520,000 visitors over a three week exhibition period. In 2014 Sculpture by the Sea celebrated its 18th year at Bondi, as well as celebrating 10 years of Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe in Perth and in 2015, Sculpture by the Sea, Aarhus in Denmark will be staged for the fourth time. Thank you to each of the 109 exhibiting artists from 16 countries around the world. The mix of first time exhibitors showing alongside artists for whom the exhibition is a major part of their career, as well as leading international artists such as David Černy (Czech Republic), Wang Shugang (China), Keizo Ushio (Japan) and Guan Wei (China/Australia) is one of the defining features of Sculpture by the Sea. Thank you to our eminent Curatorial Panel for selecting this year’s exhibiting artists from over 500 submissions, including some of the largest installations we have exhibited. We hope you enjoy the show! David Handley, Founding Director    

“A static hour, a marker in time that shaped a person or planet. An hour that has importance and is significant in our own or collective history". Nick Maxwell is a Tasmanian artist and designer based in Hobart. He completed his Bachelor of Fine Art majoring in sculpture at the University of Tasmania in 2002. He has exhibited in numerous exhibitions around Tasmania and Victoria. Maxwell’s work relies heavily on reclaiming, salvaging and transforming materials and is predominantly directed by the materials at hand mostly Tasmanian hard wood and minor species. He seeks to reinvent the material and is fascinated with the history and stories the materials and objects offer. His work utilizes figurative and iconic symbolism as a means to convey a narrative. His larger works tend to be bold and symbolic in nature. Maxwell is also a practicing furniture designer and maker with a similar ethos of reuse and reclaiming to create stylish sustainable design.

"Even stones are worth protection. The shape of the tube bandages around the stones refers to natural shapes". Hannah Streefkerk was born in The Netherlands in 1973. Currently Streefkerk is living and working in Sweden. She received her masters in The Netherlands at the Art Academies of Maastricht and Groningen. She has participated in many exhibitions, symposia and bienales over the whole world. Streefkerk's work can be described as translated patterns and mended nature. With her work Streefkerk wants to create awareness for taking better care of our environment. Her work consists of art in nature projects, installations, sculptures and embroidery. In almost all her work textile materials and techniques are used.

"This open structure with its suspended shapes is like a morning star, hovering in the sky". Ayako Saito came to Australia in 2002 from Tokyo and studied sculpture at the Australian National University from 2003, finishing a masters degree in 2008. Saito’s recent works are organic forms, inspired by the sensuality of the figure and are informed by the traditions of figurative sculpture. She mostly creates these works in plaster and then casts them in bronze. The steel geometric sculptures in this exhibition are something of a departure from the organic forms she has worked with before. Her bronze sculptures displace space, whereas the steel ones embrace and shape space using geometry to bring out the clarity and movement of the space. This geometry is what underlies nature.

"We are threatened by the mountains of floating rubbish. Five great garbage patches, more every day". Growing up in the Goldfields in the seventies, a career in art was not deemed to be a serious career option. Kerrie trained as a nurse, juggling working full time with as many visual art workshops as possible in Lake Grace. In 1997 the community of Lake Grace was offered an opportunity to take part in a pilot program with Curtin University to do an Art and Design course, which Argent eagerly undertook. She was then offered a position to continue her associate degree and ten years later Argent had her degree in art and the ability to prioritize her practice. Her work has since been acquired in various national and international private collections. Argent creates art out of everyday disposable materials, experimenting with forms and enjoying the audience response to objects composed with items usually thrown away. Argent has had five solo exhibitions since graduating, as well as a number of group exhibitions including Sculpture by the Sea in Bondi, Cottesloe, and Aarhus. She was awarded the Western Australian Sculptor Scholarship alongside fellow artist Elaine Clocherty at Cottesloe in 2014.

"This is an homage to the late Anthony Caro, one of the great sculptors of the 20th century and a wonderful man". Ron Robertson-Swann OAM is actively involved in the arts in Australia as a

sculptor, teacher and advocate. Robertson-Swann studied sculpture

with Lyndon Dadswell at the National Art School in Sydney, with

Anthony Caro and Phillip King at the St Martin’s School of Art in

London and was an Assistant to Henry Moore. He has exhibited

extensively in both Australia and overseas, and his works are

included in all major public Australian collections. He has educated

as Head of the Sculpture Workshop at the Canberra School of Art

and the National Art School in Sydney. In 2002 Robertson-Swann

was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for service to the arts in

Australia.

"Inspired by Aboriginal stone blades found on Bondi Beach in 1899, the work references both past and future in promoting contemporary discussion as Australia looks forward to its future". Born in 1965, New Zealand, sculptor Chris Bailey is of both Maori and Irish descent with ties to the iwi of Ngati Hako, Ngati Paoa, Te Aupouri and Ngati Porou. Bailey embarked on a journey of discovery in his thirties learning both his Maori language and culture. This involved returning to the various Marae of both his parents and his study at Auckland University where he learnt traditional material working techniques, this learning set him on the path to working full time as a sculptor which he has done since 2004 with much success both nationally and internationally. Bailey lives and works on Waiheke Island just off the coast of Auckland, NZ where he is both a father and sculptor. Bailey has represented NZ on the global stage in the USA, Italy, Australia and Japan and is recognized as one of New Zealand’s leading Maori sculptors in his medium of hard stone and contemporary sculpture.

"All about boundaries, crossing from one to another, if only for a short time. The action of launching out of your natural environment, if only for a few moments, is something that resonates with us". Michael Greve was born and raised in Melbourne and studied at the RMIT Sculpture Department in the early days. Becoming more and more independent from the opinions of others in later life, he determined to view his works and creations his way. Greve’s latest discovery is ancient Blackgum, predicted to be over 3,000 years old. It was ebonised by the mud under river flats and hardened and darkened to a rich dark brown and red wood, taking on a life of its own. As he works on a piece, it changes shape, moving and almost bubbling as it “comes back to life”. This series has moved from seascapes to ‘earth scapes’. Australia is fortunate to have a magnificent environment, air, land, water and space. Greve loves his country, and his work shows us this love, as well as the respect he holds for what it gives to him. “I feel that the shape of the tree has been lost in the timber generic, where the utilitarian appeal of timber has been over emphasised at the expense of the expression of the tree. It seems that the wood is considered more important than the original living form”. Michael Greve

"Inspired by the purity and happiness of children. The work relates to Buddhist philosophy which keeps the mind close to peace". Sculptor and painter, Naidee Changmoh, says his art is inspired by children and a series of Japanese cartoons of a young monk which he used to watch on TV when he was very young. “When I was drawing at university, I would think about this cartoon figure and create my own character, who had quite a large head. Always, part of my work has this (Buddhist) religious philosophy behind it”, Naidee Changmoh. Though he studied painting as an art student, for the past 20 years his main interest has been in ceramics. Casting in bronze has been a natural progression. In the past few years, he has been invited to attend conferences and hold workshops in China, Singapore and Taiwan, Italy and the US, and this year will travel to India and England. Last year he came to Australia by invitation to give a demonstration at the tri-annual national ceramic event held in central western NSW. Changmoh has also been commissioned by a patron to create a number of concrete sculptures for a Buddhist temple in Paris.

"Based on the oceanic tradition of sand drawings in Vanuatu, an ancient fabric of  tribal calligraphy spread amongst the people of the region and still practiced today". Born in Edenhope, Victoria.

During the mid 1960’s Clutterbuck studied sculpture and printmaking at RMIT with Vincas Jomantas and Tate Adams. Subsequently he taught at RMIT from 1969-73. He exhibited his sculpture and printmaking in group and solo shows ranging from Multiples with George Baldessin ad Les Kossatz at Tate Adams gallery in 1972, to representing Australia in 14 international print biennales in subsequent years.

In 1974 Clutterbuck took up a lectureship at the Victorian College of the Arts, teaching in the sculpture department, and his work began a gradual transition into a pre-occupation with metaphysics. In the early 1980’s he began experimenting with surrealist-based improvisational work methods and vapor casting in cast iron and bronze. He set up a foundry in rural central Victoria and exhibited in Melbourne and Sydney.  In the 1990’s Clutterbuck did commissions for La Trobe University, University of NSW, Footscray College of Technology and Melbourne Crown Casino.

In 1997 a survey show of Clutterbuck’s work from the 1980’s toured Bendigo, Geelong and McClelland Galleries. In 2008 a larger survey show of sculpture and drawings was held at Castlemain Gallery.

In 2013 a monograph, ‘The Art of Jock Clutterbuck’ by Sasha Grishin, was jointly published by Australian Galleries and McMillian Publishing.

Clutterbuck is represented in national and international public art collections, Australian State Galleries, National Gallery of Australia and in numerous private collections in Australia and oversees. 

Stephen King graduated from Sydney College of the Arts in 1979, where he gained a Diploma of Visual Arts with a printmaking major. In 1981 he travelled to London to study at St. Martins School of Art. King then returned to Walcha, NSW to live and work on his family’s sheep and cattle property. He continued his printmaking and gradually moved into making figurative sculpture using fallen timber. King’s subjects have ranged from generational change and continuity to the role of big business and religious ideals. He has also explored the business of farming and how man and nature struggle to find the right balance. King has exhibited extensively internationally and within Australia.

"The mirrored room reflects an image of you while the darkness switches your attention to your inner consciousness and thoughts". Mikala Valeur was educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (1993 - 98). She has been exhibiting for the last six years including exhibitions at the Esbjerg Art Museum, Helsinge Culture House and the Aarhus Art Expo, and has had several solo shows including at Gallery Van den Dun and Van Den in the Netherlands this year. “I am influenced by people and situations around me; man's quest for perfection and power; animal and human figures … together to show that we too are animals. To be free like a bird so that you can fly just anywhere you like … to see everything from the top and down. It has to be possible to be a part of a group, and …. respect other views and opinions." Mikala Valeur.

"Inspired by the people I grew up with. People who lived in excess, drank heavily and spoke one word sentences". Thomas Quayle has spent the past five years honing his creative abilities through various forms of study which culminated in him graduating from the National Art School with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours). His recent achievements and development have provided him the opportunity to work in a studio in South West Sydney. Quayle’s works are predominantly in the ceramic medium, creating sculptures of various dimensions, however he also draws and paints in oils. Quayle’s work probes the nature of human experience and emotion, touching on subjects such as violence, desire, loneliness, and ostracism. His work is influenced by life events such as the powerless feeling of viewing a violent act and being incapable of action.

Founded in 2012 by Mark Nixon and George King, NEON is an award winning design practice that seeks to explore new territories between architecture, design and art. They do not buy into a particular design style or philosophy. They work without preconceptions to analyse each project independently in order to ascertain its unique opportunities and challenges and create a design that is often surprising, but always relevant. George King is a chartered architect who has worked extensively in the UK and internationally. He is experienced in designing projects in a wide range of type, size and scale and was part of the design team responsible for the London 2012 Olympic Aquatic Centre. He received his bachelor degree from the University of Liverpool and his Masters from UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture. Mark Nixon is a chartered architect who studied for his bachelor degree at the University of Bath and the TUM in Munich and his masters at UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture in London. Nixon’s wide-ranging professional experience includes working for various design focussed practices in London and Italy on projects at all stages, from concept through to completion. He is interested in a multidisciplinary approach to architecture.

A Japanese artist who immigrated to Australia in 2009, now living and working near Gosford, NSW. He has been a full time artist for over 20 years. Ishino’s work is characterised by smooth mirror surfaces of stainless steel paired with stone. Throughout his career he has been developing original inlay techniques and producing works that combine contrasting materials of metal and stone. Ishino manipulates the materials so they reflect the surrounding scenery and abruptly transform the mottled surface of stone. In his works, materials of completely different qualities come together as one fabricated form. By joining and polishing steel and stone perfectly into one smooth surface, Ishino’s sculptures emanate a unique sense of tension. Ishino graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Kyoto City University in 1976. He has since gained an international reputation as an artist and has been the recipient of numerous prizes including the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art Award (1997) and the Kyoto National Museum of Art Award (1995). He has completed numerous significant commissions including Osaka Sayama City Culture Centre, Okuwa corporate headquarters, Wakayama City, Izu City and Bournemouth University England. Ishino was an artist in residence at the Canberra School of Art and has participated in Sculpture by the Sea in Bondi and Cottesloe regularly since 2001 and SxS Aarhus 2013. In 2009 he was the recipient of the Waverley Council Mayor’s Prize at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi.

"Inspired by the water marks left from the tides at Tamarama, the work responds to the physical characteristics of the beach and explores the relationships between seaweed, natural processes and the movements of water. Increased surf is caused by big ‘fetch’, when strong storm winds blow constantly in one direction over the ocean generating large waves. Gamma Gamma was the local aboriginal name for Tamarama beach which means ‘storm’. Generally seaweed is seen as smelly and unsightly and is cleared from the beaches, while this work aims to highlight its beauty and diversity". A site-specific environmental artist, Clocherty's work aims to develop ecological awareness, creative communities and sustainable thinking that add to our sense of belonging in the world. When creating a work, she enters into a dialogue with the site to create spaces of contemplation and reconnect with nature. Influences can come from the forms, inhabitants and stories of the landscape, and the subtleties of light and colour in her surroundings. With a focus on nature’s ecological processes and the spiritual dimension of life, Clocherty aims to reconnect the viewer with their ancient primordial selves. During the last 15 years she has been involved in many outdoor exhibitions, including the Byron Bay Sculptural Biennale 2010, the Southern Forest Sculpture Train Northcliffe, Floating Lands Queensland and ‘This is Not What You Call Sculpture’ Glasgow. Clocherty has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Fine Arts from Curtin University and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Sustainable Development/Social Ecology, Murdoch University. She was the recipient of the Andrea Stretton Memorial invitation to Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2012 and the WA Sculptor’s Scholarship Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2014.

"The work represents the absurd notion that a forty thousand year old civilization could be conquered by a small boat". Ralph Tikerpae sculpts in a variety of media both subtractive and additive but he particularly enjoys pre-loved metal and clay. His sculpture tries to pare images to a basic element or essence and has been called drawing in space. These include theatrical elements or icons where symbols become players on a stage. His work also combines elements of time and position overlapped with positive and negative elements. Curators have commented that his large metal works are the equivalent of semi abstract drawings in space. They explore the actions of humanity from social events to domestic farces. Tikerpae believes that his metal and wood sculptures operate on different levels of the subconscious. He has always enjoyed the element of chance found within the construction of his metal sculpture. He believes in the resurfacing of past lives through an artist’s subconscious trance when creating art. In a similar way he hopes that each viewer’s past experiences are awakened when they experience a piece of art work that connects with their past soul. He hopes that when people see his art that they recognize something that they already subconsciously recognise. Recycled steel in particular facilitates this experience due to its surface patina which echo’s its past lives, experiences and owners.

"This work is inspired by notions of interdependency. The two interlocking pieces embrace and support one another, whilst echoing those forms found in its surrounds". Samantha Stephenson was born in Sydney, Australia in 1987. She is currently in her third year of a Bachelor of Fine Art (majoring in sculpture) at the National Art School and is predominantly working in the medium of mild steel. Stephenson was a finalist at Sculpture at Sawmillers, McMahons Point in March 2014 and has been selected for a Clitheroe Foundation Emerging Sculptor Mentorship Program as part of her involvement in Sculpture by the Sea, 2014.

Alejandro Propato was born in 1969 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1994 he studied architecture at the University of Buenos Aires and between 1994 and 2000 he was a Professor of Architectural Design at the University of Buenos Aires. Propato likes to use vibrant colour in his thread installations and keeps colours limited to a few, often inspired by colours of the sun: yellow, red and orange.“ I think that the person becomes an artist when appreciating the beauty in life. Human beings have this capacity, the extraordinary capacity to create metaphors. One of the most beautiful spectacles that nature gives is the sun at the beginning and at the end of the day. Who would not be shocked by this beauty? Who would not become a poet in this moment?” Alejandro Propato