Object & Construct
21 July - 2 August 2009
"Object & Construct"
WILLIAM EICHOLTZ
ROBERT HAGUE
MATTHEW HARDING
GREG JOHNS
JAMES PARRETT
PAMELA SEE
DEBORAH SLEEMAN
ROSA TATO
WILLIAMEIC HOLTZ Settlers Beacon 2007, marble and LED lights, 120 x 45 x 50 cm(each)
ROBERT HAGUE West Orbis2009, stainless steel maquette, edition of 6, 80 x 45 x 20 cm
MATTHEW HARDING Fruition2009, mirror polished stainless steel, 50 x 35 (dia) cm / 30 x 20 (dia) cm
GREG JOHNS At the Centre (There is Nothing) 2009, corten steel, 130 x 130 x 55 cm
JAMESPARRETT M-Nine2007, stainless steel, 53 x 50 x 60 cm
PAMELA SEE Folder, Tomato Sauce, Nappy San 2009, found plastic, 10 x 10 x 2 cm
DEBORAH SLEEMAN Comet... Sky Boat Rider 2008, pressed tin, cast glass, lead, rivets,screws, steel, 120 x 100 x 100 cm
ROSA TATO Tu Don 3 (Detail) 2007, mild steel, 30 x 38 cm
*Object and Construct* brings together a wide range of contemporary Australian sculptural practice, juxtaposing formal with narrative and aesthetic compositions. The sculptures in this exhibition reveal deep and emotive investigations of place, cultural experience and environmental connectedness.*Object and Construct* demonstrates the power and relevance of sculpture in current cultural, philosophical and contemporary art discourse and is an inspiring and joyful exposition of eight important creative journeys.
WILLIAMEIC HOLTZ
"Inspired by oriental gateway figures these Australian icons stand their ground in a coy but knowing manner. Traditionally carved but audaciously wearing their jewel fruits and European heritage as oak leaf fleece, these brave antipodeans embrace a changing culture."
William Eicholtz has been a practicing sculptor for over two decades. During this time he has participated in important solo and group exhibitions throughout Australia and the United States. He completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts [Honours] at Monash University and from 1997-2004 he lectured in Sculpture at the School of Fine Art, Monash University, Caulfield Campus. Eicholtz has received several major awards for his work, including the Tina Wencher Sculpture Prize, 1993;Gasworks Outdoor Sculpture Prize, 1998; '$2,000 Prize' in the Woollahra Small Sculpture Show, 2005 and the prestigious Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, 2005. He has also received several important public and private commissions for the City of Melbourne; Royal Melbourne Showgrounds; Sydney
Cricket Ground; Australian National Korean War Memorial; Victorian County Courtand Tarrawarra Museum of Art.
William Eicholtz's work is represented in numerous high profile public,corporate and private collections
within Australia.
ROBERT HAGUE
Robert Hague was born in Rotorua, New Zealand and re-located to Australia in the mid-1980s. He has been a
practicing sculptor for over two decades and during this time he has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Australia, New Zealand, China,Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. In 1999 he was awarded 'The Director's Prize 'in Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi Beach, Sydney and in 2000 he received the Waverley Art Prize for Sculpture, Sydney. In 2009 he received the 'Yarra Trams Award' in the Toorak Sculpture Prize, Melbourne. He was also a finalist in the Willoughby Art Prize, Sydney, 2000; Woollahra Sculpture Prize, Double Bay, Sydney,2002;
Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe Beach, Perth, 2005 and the Montalto Sculpture Prize, Red Hill, 2005. Robert Hague has received several important public and private commissions and his work is part of corporate and private collections in Australia, China, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.
MATTHEW HARDING
"I began my fire seed series prior to the Canberra Bush fires of 2003 as symbols of regeneration and vitality.
This series, sculptured from wood, was widely exhibited in the US and the UK.The symbol and form of the work has evolved to reflect our concerns over water management and issues associated with climate change as does the public sculpture, Mercury Rising in Elizabeth St, Melbourne CBD."
Matthew Harding is a Melbourne based sculptor who has been practicing for over two decades. He completed a Bachelor of Visual Art [Honours] at the Canberra School of Arts, Australian National University, Canberra. Harding's work has been exhibited widely as part of solo and group exhibitions in Australia, London,Italy, Japan, Canada and the United States. He has received several grants,fellowships and awards including 'First Prize' in the Inaugural 'Outside' site-specific Sculpture Symposium, Alice Springs, NT, 2001; an artsACT Creative Fellowship, Canberra Act, 2003; Wyndham City Council Sculpture Award and the 'People's Choice Award' for
the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, 2004; Rosalie Gascoigne Award,2005 and the Concept and Innovation Award, Latitude AT Designex, NSW, 2008.Matthew Harding's work is part of several important public and corporate collections nationally and internationally, including National Gallery of Australia; Artbank; Australian National University, ACT; The Royal Collection, England; Inami Sculpture Park, Japan;Vanuatu Parliament, Vanuatu; Wing Tai Holdings, Singapore and private collections in Australia, Cambodia, Canada,Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States.
GREG JOHNS
"My sculpture currently has two main areas of investigation, notions involving the Australian landscape and patterns connected with the "bigger picture". These areas often overlap. *At The Centre (There Is Nothing)*
is from my second area of exploration, it is a philosophical work which also investigates contemporary notions of space in a sculptural context. There is I feel a sense of wonder connected with it. As a sculpture it works well on the scale shown but as a full scale piece (3.5 - 6 metre) it would be wonderfully dramatic."
Greg Johns was born in Adelaide, South Australia. He trained at the South Australian School of Art and graduated with a Diploma of Fine Arts. He has been working as a full-time sculptor since 1978. Johns is a member of New York Sculptors' Guild, the International Sculptor Centre and a committee member of Collaborations (Linking Art and Architecture 1990-1994). He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, England and the United States. In 1997 he was awarded an Australia Council Grant to develop new studio work. In 2001 he received the Stonnington Landscaping Award for his artwork 'Origin' and in 2004 he was recipient of the Waterhouse Prize for Sculpture. In2005 he was a selected finalist in the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, Werribee Park, Victoria. Johns has received several public and private commissions for his sculptural work by organizations such as Crown Casino, Southbank, Melbourne; Australian National University, Canberra; Bell Memorial Garden, Adelaide and Chadstone Shopping Centre, Melbourne. Greg Johns' work is represented in many high profile public, corporate and private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Bahrain, Channel Islands, England and the United States.
JAMES PARRETT
"These sculptures continue my fascination with the aesthetic potential of the circular form. They also show a gradual evolution in style. Over time self-imposed rules are broken and new challenges are considered."
James Parrett is a Melbourne based sculptor. He studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts,Sculpture [Honours] at Monash University, Caulfield and the Victorian College of the Arts, Southbank. Since then Parrett's work has been represented in major solo and group exhibitions in Australia and Japan. He has been a finalist in numerous important award exhibitions, including Woollahra Sculpture Prize,Sydney, 2002; McClelland Contemporary Sculpture Award, Langwarrin, 2005 & 2007; Tattersall's Contemporary Art Prize,Newport, 2006; Montalto Sculpture Prize, Red Hill, 2006, 2007 & 2009; Contempora 2, Docklands, 2008; Lorne Sculpture Prize, 2009 and Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, 2009. In 2008 he was commissioned to create a work for the Australand foyer in Rhodes Corporate Park, NSW and in 2009 he completed a Hume Highway commission from Metricon to create a major work for 'Mandalay at Beveridge'. James Parrett's work is part of public and private collections throughout Australia.
PAMELA SEE
"In title Folder, Tomato Sauce, Nappy San reflects the materials that were used in the construction of this artwork. The leaves have been hand-cut out of household waste. The plastic leaves are allegory for the unsustainability of urban living."
Pamela See was born in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1999 she completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Griffith University. Since then she has participated in major solo and group exhibitions in Australia, China and the United States. See has received several important public commissions and her work is represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia; Art Gallery of South Australia; Artbank; University of Queensland; Queensland University of Technology; Griffith University; Swires Properties Ltd; Brisbane Airport
Corporation; Queensland Transport; International Buddhist Light Association of Queensland; Queensland
Artworkers Alliance and the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, Queensland.
DEBORAH SLEEMAN
"The works are elemental, products of the wind, sky and sea laden environments in which they are made. They seek to articulate the intangible connections between the human and natural worlds, between the animate and inanimate."
Deborah Sleeman completed an Advanced Diploma of Applied and Visual Arts in 2001 and a Bachelor of Applied Design and Visual Art at ACA, Adelaide in 2006. Over thepast ten years she has participated in solo and group exhibitions throughout Australia. Sleeman was a finalist in Sculpture by the Sea, 2003 and was shortlisted for the SAYAB Artists as Educators Award in 2005, which she went on to winin 2007. She was also a recipient of the 3D Art Award at the Penneshaw EasterArt Exhibition in 2006. She has received several public commissions for her
artworks nationally. Deborah Sleeman's work is part of numerous important public and private collections throughout Australia.
ROSA TATO
"Drawingfrom the history of the built world and the culture around me, my art practice is embedded in tradition. Textile Design artist, Alexander Girard writes about reasuring patterns and motifs as they remind us of people, places, moments we once knew and loved, it is how we can identify with a past or way of life'.These ideas of the "memory trigger" are central to my work as it allows for much examination. My works begin with
an intuitive hand cutting process in paper. Authenticity and authorship in the construction of an individualized
and unique object is vital in my work."
Rosa Tato completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts [Sculpture] with Honours at RMIT University. Her sculptural works have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. Tato has received several
important public and private commissions in Victoria. In 2005 she was awarded aGeorge Alexander Foundation
Scholarship, Melbourne and in 2007 she received a Cheung Kong Endeavour ArtAward Scholarship, Shanghai, China. Rosa Tato's work is represented in publicand private collections in Australia, China, Spain, The Netherlands
and the United States.
