Next ASV Exhibition & notes on plinths

Castlemaine Exhibition

Castlemaine Market Building
(image Mt Alexander Shire)

Exhibition dates and venue:
Castlemaine Historic Market Building
44 Mostyn St, Castlemaine VIC 3450
8-23 November 2025

Exhibition Details:

Entries close: 5pm Monday 6 October

• Bump in / install exhibition: Friday 7/11
• Exhibition opens: Saturday 8/11
• Opening event: Sunday 9/11 (early / mid afternoon)
• Final day of exhibition: Sunday 23/11 (bump out / dismantle between 3-5pm)

Plinths

At each exhibition there is unnecessary confusion on the matter of plinths. New members are occasionally surprised that they are required to supply their own plinths for their sculptures.

We do not have a secret supply of plinths. Some galleries have a few but that is that. Each sculptor has the responsibility of supplying strong, clean, white plinths appropriate to their work.

What are the other requirements for plinths?

The plinth needs to bring the work to the appropriate height

The plinth needs to command space for the sculpture - this is to protect a work from being trampled. Even works designed to stand on the floor or the ground need to have their space defined - the traffic in a gallery is controlled by passive features such as plinths.

The sculpture should not project beyond the plinth - you will have seen examples of projection in the recent Annual Exhibition - and it did feel insecure when you saw how close people walked. Clearly a plinth that is much too large for a work is going to look strange - but at least safe.

This is quite a high standard for plinths - how many plinths would you need to own to allow for all situations? If you make them five sided they can be made to fit one inside the other but then they can only be used standing one way. If you purchase laminated MDF you can avoid the necessity of re-painting your plinth each exhibition - but each time there may be damage and then re-painting is a problem. Plinths at the MIFGS need to be weather proof - at least here there’s a bit more flexibility on design - but again your plinth needs to both display and protect your work.

Do you have ideas on plinths that you would like to share with other members? Send your ideas to newsletter@sculptorsvictoria.asn.au and set the discussion in motion.