President's Message April 2008

Big Ideas
We are all familiar with the Angel of the North, Anthony Gormley’s twenty metre high, fifty-four metre wide figure standing on a hill near Gateshead in the north of England. Modelled on Gormley’s own body it is possibly the most notable achievement of immortality, a notion the sculptor would have had, if only sardonically, at the back of his mind. Its wings stretch out as if to embrace the surrounding country and its people, and welcome visitors to the area. They also expose his body thereby earning the more prosaic title of the Gateshead Flasher. Ten years after its installation the controversy has all but died away, its economic outlay of around a million pounds ($2.5M) being handsomely returned by way of the overseas tourist dollar and the more intangible international prestige.

Now we can look forward to the Angel of the South as it has become known. At a somewhat desolate area in north Kent that was all but abandoned after the mines closed, a train station known as Ebbsfleet has been built. This is part of a huge regeneration project. A large interchange for the continental trains, that is all there is at the moment, would not seem to warrant the erection of a sculpture forty to fifty metres high that can be seen for twenty miles, but that is what is planned; as well as a new town of 10 000 homes with all its infrastructure. This sculpture will be seen by 40 million people each year, by train, by car and on foot. The commissioning of this landmark sculpture, with a budget of $5million to get it started, has been underway for a couple of years, the finalists of Richard Deacon, Christopher Le Brun, Mark Wallinger, Rachel Whiteread and, the only non-Brit, Daniel Buren, were given three months to produce their proposals (Google them up). The winner may well be announced before this goes to print.

At the other end of the sculptural scale, and this too in England, a country not known historically for its extremes, is the work of Willard Wigan (another Google search). A gallery showing his work looks like a medical laboratory; the rows of microscopes on benches around the room giving it more the air of the school stinks lab. than a sanctum of art. Peering into the 3D lenses reveals a world in miniature. To answer the perhaps rhetorical question, How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?, Willard would reply, Well, quite a few really: And inside the eye of a needle? Henry the Eighth and his Six Wives!

These sculptures are invisible to the naked eye; and liable to loss by inhalation, as was Snow White. Although sometimes he starts with a fleck of gold or diamond he mostly carves them from tiny pieces of nylon and puts the finishing touch of paint with a hair from the head of a house fly.

A collection of 70 of his pieces that you would hardly notice in the palm of your hand was insured by Lloyds for nearly $30million which makes the Angel of the North look ridiculously cheap. Big ideas come in all shapes sizes; I look forward to seeing your big idea in our Annual Show in September.

John Wooller
President

ASV Diary Dates

v May Meeting - Lunch in the Hills v
Our next monthly meeting will be a social occasion on Sunday, the 18th of May in the Dandenong Ranges. John and Jan will welcome you to their modest cottage and studio in the hills at 37 Seabreeze Avenue, Ferny Creek (Melway 75 A1) for a lunch of soup, baguettes, cheese, fruit salad, tea and coffee. Any supplements to these plus drinks of your choice will be most acceptable. Seabreeze Avenue is a gravel country lane of minimum width; parking is restricted. We are two houses in from Alpine Road; park wherever you can close to this junction. Car pooling would be an advantage. Remember, this is a social occasion. You can sing and dance, and talk about anything you like except ASV business. We look forward to your company.

John Wooller

v ASV monthly meeting v
On Wednesday 11th June, Richard Granville Smith will talk about his development into graphite sculpture when we meet in the Hawthorn Community Arts Room, rear Hawthorn Town Hall, Burwood Road Hawthorn.

v Membership Renewals and Records Check v
During May the statement of owings (if any) and the records check form will be sent out. 30th June 2008.

v ASV monthly meeting v
On Wednesday 9th July Marija Patterson will talk about her work in papier maché, again in the Hawthorn Community Arts Room, rear Hawthorn Town Hall, Burwood Road Hawthorn.

v Entries close ASV Annual Exhibition v
Entry forms will be posted soon.
Entries close Tuesday 15th July.

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show 2008

MIFGS 2008 was an excellent exhibition of 87 pieces. The judge Peter Blizzard, O.A.M., and the prize money, brought out a very high standard from everyone. The weather conspired against MIFGS but despite it or in spite of it we had a very crowded, very interested audience, and made a lot of sales. With many thanks to our sponsors we were able to provide these prizes: First Prize $4,000 (ASV) – Rudi Jass for “Seed 10”
Second Prize $1,000 (Outdoor Creations/MIFGS) – Matthew Shannon – “Rush”
Third Prize (Manyung Gallery Prize) - $250 plus an exhibition – Leon Frankcom – “Les Trois Soeurs”;
Without Pier Gallery Prize $1,000 to an emerging sculptor – Noel Muscat – “Parched Vessel”
Highly Commended – Morningstar Estate – John Wooller – “Arbor Familiae”;
Highly Commended – Dalchem Pty Ltd – Annie Glass –”Walkies”;
Highly Commended - Bulleen Art & Garden – Tanya Diamond – “To be named by the Owner”;
Peoples’ Choice Award - (MIFGS) $500 – Tanya Diamond – “To be named by the Owner”.
Winners of dinner for two at La Notte Restaurant, Carlton – Mr & Mrs Michael Shortal.
Our thanks go to Meredith & Bruce Plain off Bulleen Art and Gardens for supplying the limestone for the demonstrators, and to Kevin Free who organized the demonstrators and provided equipment for them.

Bronwyn Culshaw MIFGS Co-ordinator

Naturally enough the members and exhibitors want to thank and congratulate the MIFGS committee – in particular Bronwyn, for a Stirling effort – well rewarded with a successful show – in spite of the elements presenting a few little challenges.

Sam Jinks at Benalla

Benalla Art Gallery is featuring a collection of 6 works by Melbourne Sculptor Sam Jinks for the period 01 April to 11 May. One may emerge, shocked, at the contents of the large white room wholly devoted to Jinks at this specialist gallery.

On entering the room one is initially confronted with three large grey faces on a white wall. Eyes closed in repose or in death, the faces grow more arresting as one approaches them. Composed in resin, they emanate peace and mystery.

Rounding a wall in the centre of the room, one is not prepared for the three smaller than life size figures, each shown on a white wall. There is extraordinary attention to detail, maybe to a degree that will not be attained by any other sculptor this century. Pieta is a man sitting, cradling the naked and aged body of another – his father, or maybe hisfuture self. Soberly and peacefully the man contemplates the passing of life and the loss of the flesh. Source materials are mixed media, fiberglass, silicon and human hair. A second exhibit is another aged body, in stark and luminous nakedness, partly folded on bed linen. A third exhibit shows a half naked and aged standing female, heavily tattooed on her chest.

The gallery poses the question “How to mold a man in stone without petrifying him?” (Jean-Paul Satre), and Jinks provides one answer in his personal interpretation of reality.

Geoff Williams

Mark Cowie wins Mount Buller Prize

Congratulations to Mark Cowie, on winning the sculpture section of the Mount Buller Art Prize 2008. From among some strong entries Mark’s piece Alpine Whispering Moon was selected by the eminent panel of judges, Patrick McCaughey, former head of the National Gallery Victoria; Robert Nelson, Chief Art Critic for The Age and Associate Professor Design and Art Theory at Monash University; and Peter Rancie, a local private benefactor and collector, as the Best in the Show. The late withdrawal from the judging panel of Andrew Rogers was not explained. By now Mark will have regained his composure and we look forward to seeing more of his work in ASV exhibitions and in other events around the country. The Assocation was well represented in the show with five members exhibiting. Perhaps Mark’s win will encourage more of our members to enter next year. Well done Mark, a well-deserved win; may there be many more.

John Wooller

Sculptor, Mark Cowie, received first prize for sculpture at the prestigious Easter Mt Buller Art Prize. The prize money of $15,000 was awarded to Mark for his sculpture ‘Alpine Whispering Moon’, an abstract steel piece. The piece depicts the character of the surrounding mountains and endeavours to portray the essence of the moon-bathed night scapes to which the alpine highlands
bears witness, and which countless people have been privileged to experience.
“The sculpture was created with a sense of intuitively ‘capturing’ the spirit of the alpine region. I was thrilled and stunned to have been awarded the prize at such a prestigious sculpture event, particularly as there were a number of pieces entered by some very highly regarded sculptors, several of whom have been inspirations for me.”
Mark, formerly a criminologist for 20 years, decided to leave working ‘on the dark side’, as he refers to it, and pursue his passion for sculpting in steel. “At the start of last year I decided to follow my dreams and become a full-time sculptor and metal worker. I didn’t want to live out my life working in the prison system wondering what might have been regarding my sculpting. So I jumped in at the deep end and held my breath. There have been many difficult times over the last year or so, but I have always retained my belief in and passion for creating stimulating work that engages the viewer. To receive such an award so early in my new career is both a great honour and a significant boost for my future endeavours as a sculptor”.

“All artists will appreciate that making a living from one’s art is a difficult and challenging journey, which is littered with emotional, financial and artistic highs and lows. At the moment I am thrilled and still coming to terms with what this award means.”

“Apart from assisting me financially I will be able to use the prize money to buy some much needed equipment. More importantly, I hope that winning such a competition will assist me in my career endeavours”.

The award was judged by well-known and respected art commentator Patrick McCaughey - formerly director of the National Gallery of Victoria – Robert Nelson – chief art critic for The Age and Professor of Design and Art Theory at Monash University - and Peter Mancie.
The winning sculpture will now be on permanent public display at the Mt Buller village.