Sculpture by the sea

After a busy couple of weeks I have a little backlog of outings to write about. First up was sculpture by the sea. The event is celebrating fifteen years but this was my first visit – nothing like an overseas visitor to make one appreciate the back yard.

Joan and Margaret (mum)

Joan, my mother’s sister, was in Sydney for a few days. Joan lives on the Isle of Wight (off the south coast of England) so is surrounded by water, but even so Sydney’s Bondi Beach is hard to beat.

She was very taken by the view (Judy writes with proprietorial pride, despite not having been to the place in who knows how many years, given the local assumption that it’s overtaken by tourists, backpackers and other people’s cars parked leaving nowhere for me). Still, it’s not all bad…
Rather a difficult ask to produce sculptures to compete with the locality and the different artists had taken a range of approaches, responding to different extents to the location.

Samuel Chamberlain - Windswept

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Windswept by Samuel Chamberlain was one that fitted in well, strong in itself and with clever placement near the yellow groundcover. Even so, my eye was taken by the backdrop of rock.

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Many of the exhibits had a humerous or whimsical element. No photo, but one of our favourites was the hazard by Chava Kuchar – a 3 metre circle of synthetic grass on a low rock shelf, complete with a centrally placed golf flag. A challenge for any golfer!
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There was even a textile “piece”, coping well in the exposed environment. I heard an interview on the radio, and the artist used recycled advertising banners for much of her material. A clever, amusing and popular exhibit!

Margarita Sampson - the yearning

Margarita Sampson - the yearning

Lace in seafoam and rock

You may not be able to see it in the photo on the right, but there are actual holes in the fine shelves of rock left by erosion – combined with the movement of the waves quite entrancing.

Joan with <em>now i see</em> by Margaret Sheridan

It was great to be able to spend some time with Joan, very interesting to visit the exhibition, and rather exciting to be reminded of another part of the amazing landscape to be found in Sydney.
If you’re near Sydney, you have until 20 November to enjoy the sculptures.