Darling Park

201 Sussex St, Sydney NSW 2000

The exhibition is held in the main foyers of the Darling Park building, Gallery Level. The venue is located beside the main pedestrian overpass to Darling Harbour, Sydney’s premier entertainment and convention district.

The building is open everyday business hours. On weekends some doors are closed but the building is still open – use the after hours intercom in Market St, come in via the carpark (entrance in Sussex St) or come from Cockle Bay via over-bridge.

UPCOMING AND CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

No exhibitions scheduled at this time. Please check the homepage for all open and upcoming exhibitions.

PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS

Darling Park 2018 Exhibition

Date unknown

Enquiries and Sales: Shirley Li  0408 506 285  /  Feyona van Stom  0408 226 827 /  Eva Chant  0418 250 456

Email: info@sculptorssociety.com

Darling Park 2015 Exhibition

31 August – 25 September, 2015

Darling Park 2014 Exhibition

4 – 29 August, 2014

REVIEW 2013

DARLING PARK EXHIBITION 29th July – 1st September, 2013

REVIEW BY ANGELA MORRELL

MAURICE SCHLESINGER 'Transformation' [Steel powder coated 40 X 55 x 20 ]
MAURICE SCHLESINGER 'Transformation' [Steel powder coated 40 X 55 x 20 ]

MAURICE SCHLESINGER ‘Transformation’ [Steel powder coated 40 X 55 x 20 ]

Schlesinger has transformed steel parts by grouping them interestingly to create an engaging abstract sculpture. Cylinders and curves intermingle each with the other. There is a feeling of strength and harmony, which unite, and we are lead to investigate and explore the work’s general character. It has a competent synchronization of features. The atmosphere created within his work is unique. It has aspects and the feeling of a grand piano in as much as Transformation appears like it could be making rich melodious sound. Using welding techniques Schlesinger sings to his own tune. Crimson red powder coated enamel on the steel body grabs the eye, which pleasingly halt our senses.

MEIKE DAVIS 'Churchill’s Favourite' [Clay, Oxides, Underglaze 38 x 29 x 18]
MEIKE DAVIS 'Churchill’s Favourite' [Clay, Oxides, Underglaze 38 x 29 x 18]

MEIKE DAVIS ‘Churchill’s Favourite’ [Clay, Oxides, Underglaze 38 x 29 x 18]

Something that is perhaps not known so well about Winston Churchill is his love for animals. He was committed to not only the Union Jack and all it represented in wartime but he was also likened to a bulldog because of his “bulldog spirit” Churchill had bouts of depression which he called “the black dog” which is now a term in common usage to describe this condition. Davis presents us with a humorous image of a bulldog wearing a string of pearls with the Union Jack sanctimoniously pulled around his doggy shoulders. He needs that warmth to soften the chill of a damp climate. The rendering of the bulldog with its soulful eyes and droopy mouth is fun and colourful and is bound to put a smile on your face.

GUNNEL WATKINS 'State of Becoming' [Mixed media 100 x 25 x 25]
GUNNEL WATKINS 'State of Becoming' [Mixed media 100 x 25 x 25]

GUNNEL WATKINS ‘State of Becoming’ [Mixed media 100 x 25 x 25]

There is something utterly sensual about thick fabric that curves and folds with the movement created especially by the hand of a director who is just teasingly hinting at what might be beneath. Wrapping fabric in a sculptural and controlled manner is not necessarily easy. To be able to capture and fashion the movement of soft material and make into solid form, establishes an interesting and complete change in how it is percieved. State of Becoming indicates that beneath the surface of Watkins work there is something mysterious. What that might be is unidentifiable but there is the feeling of elegance and movement in its erect form. It reminds us of Christo’s wrapped works where we are left to ponder the inside of wrapped objects. After all it was John Kalder who is an authority on fabric that coordinated the wrapping of Little Bay back in 1969. It is to a degree a chance procedure but it takes a cleverness of control to make the work aesthetically pleasing which is in the end what the process is about.

JOHN BROOKE 'Flying with Icarus' [Recycled Steel/Timber 65 x 82 x 22]
JOHN BROOKE 'Flying with Icarus' [Recycled Steel/Timber 65 x 82 x 22]

JOHN BROOKE ‘Flying with Icarus’ [Recycled Steel/Timber 65 x 82 x 22]

I love the title Flying with Icarus as it conjures up the perfect match for Brooke’s work. Golden warmth of the sun and swirling movement from the wind with light areas of turbulence, carry us along. This magic flight takes us on an exhilarating voyage but is just a tad dangerously close to the sun. In Greek mythology Icarus and his father attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father, Daedalus, constructed from wax and feathers. Icarus was told not to fly too low as his wings would clog from the sea spray nor too high to the sun as his wings would melt. Moments of freedom and joy are captured in flowing ribbons of welded steel expressing joyous freedom just before the journey reaches its climax.

JUNE BENNETT 'Wings' [Granite 24 x 45 x 22]
JUNE BENNETT 'Wings' [Granite 24 x 45 x 22]

JUNE BENNETT ‘Wings’ [Granite 24 x 45 x 22]

There is a precision in the perfect profile of Bennett’s work. Coarse dark-grained structure and glassy in texture the stone Bennett has selected is of holocrystalline granite. Many things have to be considered in the carving of stone. After finding stone that suggests sculptural form the sculptor follows the natural grain within the material. In a sense the stone dictates to the sculptor and this is a major influence on the outcome. Bennett has skillfully followed her instincts in the creation of her piece. As is indicated in the title Wings its shape perfectly communicates the notion of flight. The work is simple and there is a balancing act of two forms one on the other. This is an abstract work that is modern as tomorrow but interestingly, abstract rock carving dates to prehistoric times. This makes the work, in a sense, timeless..

ARGO HO 'Sandcastle' [Bronze 25 x 26 x 14]
ARGO HO 'Sandcastle' [Bronze 25 x 26 x 14]

ARGO HO ‘Sandcastle’ [Bronze 25 x 26 x 14]

Why some works get an award and others are overlooked is often perplexing. The truth is with such a diverse range of mediums, subject matter and elements it is hard to be a judge. Argo Ho is one amongst a large number of prized members within our society who maintain a consistently high standard in their sculptural expression. Sandcastles is a bronze abstract that is unassuming and robust. It does not cry out but is strong and silent. The work is a compilation of cubes, rectangles and curves imaginatively fused and stacked making a fascinating geometric composition. Sandcastles gently engage us just like in a mysterious labyrinth and will take us to corners unknown and secret. Ho has chosen a title that is both playful and introspective in nature, harking back to childhood, but using the voice of an adult.

PAMELA DREWITT SMITH 'Reclining Woman' [Ceramic with bronze patina 18 x 42 x 25]
PAMELA DREWITT SMITH 'Reclining Woman' [Ceramic with bronze patina 18 x 42 x 25]

PAMELA DREWITT SMITH ‘Reclining Woman’ [Ceramic with bronze patina 18 x 42 x 25]

The reclining nude has been the perennial subject matter for many artists. Students eagerly study the female form in art class. Its interpretation is as varied, wide-ranging and diverse as any can be. Smith’s interpretation is both sensual and fun. Its base gives the impression of being roughly chiseled with a sensual figure surmounting it. Reclining Woman is stylized. Her arms reach backwards, clasped and framing her small head. Her chest is thrust forward and her breasts defy gravity in a provocative manner. The figure’s proportions are exaggerated to give emphasis to the pelvic area and legs. Limbs are rounded and smooth which bend with little emphasis on joints. The faux bronze patination gives a convincing finish to the work. There is simplicity in this evocative female form that works to conjure up physical indulgence and incites an unrestrained sexuality.

LARISSA SMAGARINSKY 'Golden Arches' [Bronze 37 x 12 x 14]
LARISSA SMAGARINSKY 'Golden Arches' [Bronze 37 x 12 x 14]

LARISSA SMAGARINSKY ‘Golden Arches’ [Bronze 37 x 12 x 14]

Alluring and compelling, Golden Arches demands we pay attention. Its impressive presence is thought provoking and forceful. Arched forms are repeated throughout the composition. A refinement of patination with the contrast of highly polished raw bronze and rich mottled green/blue roughly textured recessed areas, gives a flavour of grandeur. Smagarinsky controls the process of oxidization by stippling with a brush. Its forms are solid and communicate an atmosphere that is impressive with a feeling of majesty. Golden Arches made me reflect on a grandson’s comment about when he grows up he is going to buy his mother a house with a golden door. How wonderful is that?

Gallery

4 – 29 August, 2014

Review

REVIEW 2013

DARLING PARK EXHIBITION 29th July – 1st September, 2013

REVIEW BY ANGELA MORRELL

MAURICE SCHLESINGER 'Transformation' [Steel powder coated 40 X 55 x 20 ]
MAURICE SCHLESINGER 'Transformation' [Steel powder coated 40 X 55 x 20 ]

MAURICE SCHLESINGER ‘Transformation’ [Steel powder coated 40 X 55 x 20 ]

Schlesinger has transformed steel parts by grouping them interestingly to create an engaging abstract sculpture. Cylinders and curves intermingle each with the other. There is a feeling of strength and harmony, which unite, and we are lead to investigate and explore the work’s general character. It has a competent synchronization of features. The atmosphere created within his work is unique. It has aspects and the feeling of a grand piano in as much as Transformation appears like it could be making rich melodious sound. Using welding techniques Schlesinger sings to his own tune. Crimson red powder coated enamel on the steel body grabs the eye, which pleasingly halt our senses.

MEIKE DAVIS 'Churchill’s Favourite' [Clay, Oxides, Underglaze 38 x 29 x 18]
MEIKE DAVIS 'Churchill’s Favourite' [Clay, Oxides, Underglaze 38 x 29 x 18]

MEIKE DAVIS ‘Churchill’s Favourite’ [Clay, Oxides, Underglaze 38 x 29 x 18]

Something that is perhaps not known so well about Winston Churchill is his love for animals. He was committed to not only the Union Jack and all it represented in wartime but he was also likened to a bulldog because of his “bulldog spirit” Churchill had bouts of depression which he called “the black dog” which is now a term in common usage to describe this condition. Davis presents us with a humorous image of a bulldog wearing a string of pearls with the Union Jack sanctimoniously pulled around his doggy shoulders. He needs that warmth to soften the chill of a damp climate. The rendering of the bulldog with its soulful eyes and droopy mouth is fun and colourful and is bound to put a smile on your face.

GUNNEL WATKINS 'State of Becoming' [Mixed media 100 x 25 x 25]
GUNNEL WATKINS 'State of Becoming' [Mixed media 100 x 25 x 25]

GUNNEL WATKINS ‘State of Becoming’ [Mixed media 100 x 25 x 25]

There is something utterly sensual about thick fabric that curves and folds with the movement created especially by the hand of a director who is just teasingly hinting at what might be beneath. Wrapping fabric in a sculptural and controlled manner is not necessarily easy. To be able to capture and fashion the movement of soft material and make into solid form, establishes an interesting and complete change in how it is percieved. State of Becoming indicates that beneath the surface of Watkins work there is something mysterious. What that might be is unidentifiable but there is the feeling of elegance and movement in its erect form. It reminds us of Christo’s wrapped works where we are left to ponder the inside of wrapped objects. After all it was John Kalder who is an authority on fabric that coordinated the wrapping of Little Bay back in 1969. It is to a degree a chance procedure but it takes a cleverness of control to make the work aesthetically pleasing which is in the end what the process is about.

JOHN BROOKE 'Flying with Icarus' [Recycled Steel/Timber 65 x 82 x 22]
JOHN BROOKE 'Flying with Icarus' [Recycled Steel/Timber 65 x 82 x 22]

JOHN BROOKE ‘Flying with Icarus’ [Recycled Steel/Timber 65 x 82 x 22]

I love the title Flying with Icarus as it conjures up the perfect match for Brooke’s work. Golden warmth of the sun and swirling movement from the wind with light areas of turbulence, carry us along. This magic flight takes us on an exhilarating voyage but is just a tad dangerously close to the sun. In Greek mythology Icarus and his father attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father, Daedalus, constructed from wax and feathers. Icarus was told not to fly too low as his wings would clog from the sea spray nor too high to the sun as his wings would melt. Moments of freedom and joy are captured in flowing ribbons of welded steel expressing joyous freedom just before the journey reaches its climax.

JUNE BENNETT 'Wings' [Granite 24 x 45 x 22]
JUNE BENNETT 'Wings' [Granite 24 x 45 x 22]

JUNE BENNETT ‘Wings’ [Granite 24 x 45 x 22]

There is a precision in the perfect profile of Bennett’s work. Coarse dark-grained structure and glassy in texture the stone Bennett has selected is of holocrystalline granite. Many things have to be considered in the carving of stone. After finding stone that suggests sculptural form the sculptor follows the natural grain within the material. In a sense the stone dictates to the sculptor and this is a major influence on the outcome. Bennett has skillfully followed her instincts in the creation of her piece. As is indicated in the title Wings its shape perfectly communicates the notion of flight. The work is simple and there is a balancing act of two forms one on the other. This is an abstract work that is modern as tomorrow but interestingly, abstract rock carving dates to prehistoric times. This makes the work, in a sense, timeless..

ARGO HO 'Sandcastle' [Bronze 25 x 26 x 14]
ARGO HO 'Sandcastle' [Bronze 25 x 26 x 14]

ARGO HO ‘Sandcastle’ [Bronze 25 x 26 x 14]

Why some works get an award and others are overlooked is often perplexing. The truth is with such a diverse range of mediums, subject matter and elements it is hard to be a judge. Argo Ho is one amongst a large number of prized members within our society who maintain a consistently high standard in their sculptural expression. Sandcastles is a bronze abstract that is unassuming and robust. It does not cry out but is strong and silent. The work is a compilation of cubes, rectangles and curves imaginatively fused and stacked making a fascinating geometric composition. Sandcastles gently engage us just like in a mysterious labyrinth and will take us to corners unknown and secret. Ho has chosen a title that is both playful and introspective in nature, harking back to childhood, but using the voice of an adult.

PAMELA DREWITT SMITH 'Reclining Woman' [Ceramic with bronze patina 18 x 42 x 25]
PAMELA DREWITT SMITH 'Reclining Woman' [Ceramic with bronze patina 18 x 42 x 25]

PAMELA DREWITT SMITH ‘Reclining Woman’ [Ceramic with bronze patina 18 x 42 x 25]

The reclining nude has been the perennial subject matter for many artists. Students eagerly study the female form in art class. Its interpretation is as varied, wide-ranging and diverse as any can be. Smith’s interpretation is both sensual and fun. Its base gives the impression of being roughly chiseled with a sensual figure surmounting it. Reclining Woman is stylized. Her arms reach backwards, clasped and framing her small head. Her chest is thrust forward and her breasts defy gravity in a provocative manner. The figure’s proportions are exaggerated to give emphasis to the pelvic area and legs. Limbs are rounded and smooth which bend with little emphasis on joints. The faux bronze patination gives a convincing finish to the work. There is simplicity in this evocative female form that works to conjure up physical indulgence and incites an unrestrained sexuality.

LARISSA SMAGARINSKY 'Golden Arches' [Bronze 37 x 12 x 14]
LARISSA SMAGARINSKY 'Golden Arches' [Bronze 37 x 12 x 14]

LARISSA SMAGARINSKY ‘Golden Arches’ [Bronze 37 x 12 x 14]

Alluring and compelling, Golden Arches demands we pay attention. Its impressive presence is thought provoking and forceful. Arched forms are repeated throughout the composition. A refinement of patination with the contrast of highly polished raw bronze and rich mottled green/blue roughly textured recessed areas, gives a flavour of grandeur. Smagarinsky controls the process of oxidization by stippling with a brush. Its forms are solid and communicate an atmosphere that is impressive with a feeling of majesty. Golden Arches made me reflect on a grandson’s comment about when he grows up he is going to buy his mother a house with a golden door. How wonderful is that?

Darling Park 2013 Exhibition

29th July – 1st September, 2013

REVIEW 2013

DARLING PARK EXHIBITION 29th July – 1st September, 2013

REVIEW BY ANGELA MORRELL

VIVIENNE LOWE 'Anthology' [Paper/Fabric/Steel]
VIVIENNE LOWE 'Anthology' [Paper/Fabric/Steel]

VIVIENNE LOWE ‘Anthology’ [Paper/Fabric/Steel]

In the shape of a volute, music sheets are fanned in a rapid vibration with demi-semi tones to separate their phonological visual language. This is a clever and energetic work that is both inciting and stimulating. Anthology is monochromatic which gives emphasis to the sharpness of their simulated musical vibration. Lowe further characterizes the rapid pulsing of a compendium of sounds taken from musical composition.

GARNER 'Dunbar Lost' [Mixed media]
GARNER 'Dunbar Lost' [Mixed media]

GARNER ‘Dunbar Lost’ [Mixed media]

The Dunbar was amongst a number of ships that started trading as a result of the Gold Rush. The Dunbar sailing ship, on its approach to Sydney harbour, with its sails fully rigged was wrecked against the rocks. This event took place in driving rain near The Entrance in 1857. The gale was so forceful that The Dunbar completely broke up. Tragically 121 lives were drowned and all cargo was lost. There was only one survivor. Garner successfully conveys the full force of this tragic event with the use of a mix of scrap metal sourced from numerous interesting steel objects. Dark and rusting, the welded metal parts draw a graphic description that encapsulates this dramatic event. No one would be left in doubt as to how horrendous things would have been for all involved.

LOLA KAPLAN 'Circus Strongman' [Fabric/Acrylic]
LOLA KAPLAN 'Circus Strongman' [Fabric/Acrylic]

LOLA KAPLAN ‘Circus Strongman’ [Fabric/Acrylic]

Once again Kaplan entertains us with her highly comical and engaging soft sculpture. How can you not be enthralled with a circus strongman man doing a headstand with two cockatoos and a cat clinging on to his legs for dear life? Using a palette of white and mostly primary colour Kaplan portrays lightness and joy to emphasize the mood of the moment that entertains us. The bulging body of the strongman is emphasized with his blue striped, tight fitting long johns. His face peers out from underneath his bulbous body with humorous concentration. For the light hearted this is a work that is offers sheer escapism. We all need this from time to time!

SALLIE PORTNOY 'Venus' [Cast glass/Stainless Steel]
SALLIE PORTNOY 'Venus' [Cast glass/Stainless Steel]

SALLIE PORTNOY ‘Venus’ [Cast glass/Stainless Steel]

Venus is the most referred to of all the deities in Greco/Roman mythology. She was the goddess of beauty and the embodiment of love and sexuality. It is said that she sprang from the froth of the sea near the island of Cyprus. Portnoy often bases her imagery on mythology using abstraction in thought processes as a strategy whereby simplification takes place and objects become ambiguous and undefined. She is attracted to the sensuality of the human form and translated into glass is able to use light that gives depth to her sculpture. She explores positive and negative shapes creating stylized simplicity. The height of her Venus is amazing considering it is in solid glass and would be huge to cast and very heavy to keep erect. It is supported at its base with a strong stainless steel triangular structure. Portnoy’s Venus has elegance, is golden and warm and as you move around its form the subtly of light and depth of colour changes in a fascinating and mesmeric way.

MARK AYLWARD 'Archaeology Of Life' [Coolabah/Spring Steel]
MARK AYLWARD 'Archaeology Of Life' [Coolabah/Spring Steel]

MARK AYLWARD ‘Archaeology Of Life’ [Coolabah/Spring Steel]

Coolabah is famously the tree that “The Jolly Swagman” sat under and its name is interestingly a loanword name taken from the indigenous Australian Yuwaaliyaay language (gulabaa). Coolabah is a wide spreading eucalyptus tree which is often more wide than tall. The bark is box-like, dark grey, thick and furrowed on the trunk and lower branches and full of gnarled character. Alyward has taken a trunk of coolabah slicing it through in multiple sections, which are highly polished on the surfaces that have been cut. The rich colour of the polished wood dramatically contrasts with the greyness of the trunk. Each section has then been threaded back together on a thick piece of spring steel. The resultant effect is of giant vertebrae with a lymphatic node hanging from its tip. It also reminds us of remnants of life taken from an archaeological dig. Archaeology of Life is a powerful work that is most commanding in presence.

JENNY GREEN 'The Dance' [Painted Steel]
JENNY GREEN 'The Dance' [Painted Steel]

JENNY GREEN ‘The Dance’ [Painted Steel]

Green says of her sculptures, “I aim to capture a moment, a movement, a place. Many of my sculptures are ‘drawings in space’ evoking both mood and action.” Green has taken sheet metal which she has basically cut out to create two dimensional images which represent in unassuming terms the lightness and carefree nonchalance of dancers which focus on the legs. In The Dance, the silhouetted flat representation of jaunty curvaceous limbs are painted in crimson red and black. The dancers are each supported at their base on the toes of a pirouetting foot. Each dancer has a shadow, which is cut and welded at right angles to the figures which function, supporting the dancers, by keeping them vertical. The Dance is pared down saying the utmost through simple visual language with the dynamics of the space in between the dancers adding to the cheerful rhetoric.

TOM MOURAD 'The Dream' [Lebanese Cedar Wood]
TOM MOURAD 'The Dream' [Lebanese Cedar Wood]

TOM MOURAD ‘The Dream’ [Lebanese Cedar Wood]

If you have ever embarked on a project with the challenges that Mourad sets himself, I take my hat off to you. In the first place we know The Cedars of Lebanon are famous but where do you find Lebanese Cedar wood in New South Wales, and of such a huge size? It is native to the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean and is the national emblem of Lebanon but even there their exploitation has caused few trees to remain. Whatever… the melodious and skillful manner in which Mourad has approached his carving project is a marvel. We are transported like in a dream in which images of bodies move in and out of one another, and where we feel caught in a labyrinth of passageways where limbs never endingly flow one into the other. The work is powerful and compelling. The golden honey colour of the wood is beautiful and tactile. Mourad with conscious action has effectively completed this remarkable sculpture.

PHILIPPA GRAHAM 'Engaged"' [Bronze]
PHILIPPA GRAHAM 'Engaged"' [Bronze]

PHILIPPA GRAHAM ‘Engaged”‘ [Bronze]

It is interesting to know where our influences come from. We as artists are all part of that path where keystone events occur that change the way we interpret our environment. Cubism started as an idea that was based on Paul Cezanne’s original view which included the reduction of form to geometric solids giving simultaneous multiple views to the subject. In sculpture shifting viewpoints tend to reveal the structure of volume. Graham’s cubist bronze figures have been reduced to simplified flatted forms. Some of the surfaces are highly polished and others are oxidized to give depth to their arrangement and are enjoyable to view from different angles. Engaged involves us with the rhetoric of two lovers who appear to be deeply encapsulated within their cocooned world. Their intimacy is tender as legs lovingly straddle across the others. The work is disciplined and precise with integrity and poise.

MARYANN NICHOLLS 'Individuals' [Mixed media]
MARYANN NICHOLLS 'Individuals' [Mixed media]

MARYANN NICHOLLS ‘Individuals’ [Mixed media]

Reclaiming objects to create into sculpture, although not a new thing, has become a highly popular. Marcel Duchamp is considered to have originated the idea with his series of ready-mades. It is now a well-thought-out and highly relevant way of using objects that are measured to have had a non-art function. The relocation of ready-made objects changes our perception of them and constitutes a modification of the object, reenergizing them in their new role. It also changes our perception of their value, their lifecycle, and their importance. Titles that the artist gives to the work add reinforcement to what they are about and are also important to manipulating the way we view the artwork. Individuals is a compilation of objects contained in three similar but differing clear Perspex tubes. Nichols concept has a philosophical aspect that demands our participation. Each section of the work has much in common as their contents all relate as photographic paraphernalia but are in fact quite different one from the other. Their contents are intriguing as are their internal environments with sharp colours, words, shapes and movement like internal organs in test tubes make them palpable. We are led to ponder their state and quality, as they are all, as we are, Individuals.

WENDY BLACK 'Rufus' [Bird wire/Skateboard]
WENDY BLACK 'Rufus' [Bird wire/Skateboard]

WENDY BLACK ‘Rufus’ [Bird wire/Skateboard]

Bird wire is a finer version of chicken wire, which is the more commonly known of the two but they both are considered a most versatile medium in the making of sculptural realism. The wires flexibility has been utilized in schools, and similarly it used by professional artists. With a pair of thick protective leather gloves, wire cutters and a good dose of imagination the malleability of bird wire know no bounds. Bending, moulding and overlapping wire to give a more dense appearance work wonders in creating all sort of images. Black is the creator of the adorable white and red-patched Rufus dog. Rufus immediately fixes us with his charming demeanour. I’m in love with Rufus because he is such fun, is cute and can ride a skateboard. I’ve always wanted to ride a skateboard, haven’t you?

JUNE BENNETT 'Sails' [Powder coated mild steel/Wood]
JUNE BENNETT 'Sails' [Powder coated mild steel/Wood]

JUNE BENNETT ‘Sails’ [Powder coated mild steel/Wood]

MIG welding, or Gas Metal Arc Welding, giving it its more technical name, is a process in where solid wire electrode is fed through a welding gun and into the weld pool, joining two base materials together. Bennett has clearly mastered the skill and utilized it to maximum sculptural effect. Interesting shapes have been welded together stacked and curved to create an imaginary sailing craft; she has the finely tuned eye of an artist whose intuition guides her. The Sails are far more interesting and exciting than any regular yacht’s sails. After welding shapes together the sculpture has been coated in dry powder electrostatically. The coating is cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a skin. The resultant finish is tougher than conventional paint. In this instance the finish appears to be similar to metallic automobile red. The wooden base complements Sails, further enhancing the nautical feel. Bennett has a good eye for shape and form and her work has a pleasing dynamic.

HELEN LEETE 'Clio The Mythical Steed' [Masterworks/Bronze patina]
HELEN LEETE 'Clio The Mythical Steed' [Masterworks/Bronze patina]

HELEN LEETE ‘Clio The Mythical Steed’ [Masterworks/Bronze patina]

Clio was a muse from Greek mythology. Like all the muses she is the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne and was one of nine Muses who were the goddesses of music, song and dance. The majority of divine steeds were offspring of four wind gods who were said to draw the chariot of Zeus in the shape of steeds. On first appearance I thought Leete’s relief was made in bronze. Actually is made from Masterworks with a bronze patina. Masterworks is a water based resinous material supplied as two liquid components that must be thoroughly mixed together. It can be made to replicate many materials, is hard wearing and long lasting. Leete depicts Clio and The Mythological Steed in fond embrace. There is unison and harmony within this relief sculpture. The steed’s head tosses towards Clio, making a strong connection with her gaze. The steed’s mane and the locks of Clio flow together underlining the strong feeling of unison. The work is both powerful and tender.

SUE ALEXOPOULOS 'Meditation' [Bronze]
SUE ALEXOPOULOS 'Meditation' [Bronze]

SUE ALEXOPOULOS ‘Meditation’ [Bronze]

During meditation the mind settles down to a state of pure consciousness. It is considered there is a range of benefits. A slender elongated female body dressed in a loose fitting gown, perfect for meditating in, clings to her womanly physique in a sensual manner. Her back is erect with eyes closed as she sits in a meditative pose… she is an expert! Alexopoulos uses a touch of humour as if the subject is in fact experiencing a degree of levitation with her hair suspended against the physical force of gravity and horizontal to the form. Meditation is executed in bronze and there is lovely use of green patina distinguishing the hair and gown from the bare face, upper chest and arms. This is an appealing work that is beautifully executed.

Gallery

29th July – 1st September, 2013

Review

REVIEW 2013

DARLING PARK EXHIBITION 29th July – 1st September, 2013

REVIEW BY ANGELA MORRELL

VIVIENNE LOWE 'Anthology' [Paper/Fabric/Steel]
VIVIENNE LOWE 'Anthology' [Paper/Fabric/Steel]

VIVIENNE LOWE ‘Anthology’ [Paper/Fabric/Steel]

In the shape of a volute, music sheets are fanned in a rapid vibration with demi-semi tones to separate their phonological visual language. This is a clever and energetic work that is both inciting and stimulating. Anthology is monochromatic which gives emphasis to the sharpness of their simulated musical vibration. Lowe further characterizes the rapid pulsing of a compendium of sounds taken from musical composition.

GARNER 'Dunbar Lost' [Mixed media]
GARNER 'Dunbar Lost' [Mixed media]

GARNER ‘Dunbar Lost’ [Mixed media]

The Dunbar was amongst a number of ships that started trading as a result of the Gold Rush. The Dunbar sailing ship, on its approach to Sydney harbour, with its sails fully rigged was wrecked against the rocks. This event took place in driving rain near The Entrance in 1857. The gale was so forceful that The Dunbar completely broke up. Tragically 121 lives were drowned and all cargo was lost. There was only one survivor. Garner successfully conveys the full force of this tragic event with the use of a mix of scrap metal sourced from numerous interesting steel objects. Dark and rusting, the welded metal parts draw a graphic description that encapsulates this dramatic event. No one would be left in doubt as to how horrendous things would have been for all involved.

LOLA KAPLAN 'Circus Strongman' [Fabric/Acrylic]
LOLA KAPLAN 'Circus Strongman' [Fabric/Acrylic]

LOLA KAPLAN ‘Circus Strongman’ [Fabric/Acrylic]

Once again Kaplan entertains us with her highly comical and engaging soft sculpture. How can you not be enthralled with a circus strongman man doing a headstand with two cockatoos and a cat clinging on to his legs for dear life? Using a palette of white and mostly primary colour Kaplan portrays lightness and joy to emphasize the mood of the moment that entertains us. The bulging body of the strongman is emphasized with his blue striped, tight fitting long johns. His face peers out from underneath his bulbous body with humorous concentration. For the light hearted this is a work that is offers sheer escapism. We all need this from time to time!

SALLIE PORTNOY 'Venus' [Cast glass/Stainless Steel]
SALLIE PORTNOY 'Venus' [Cast glass/Stainless Steel]

SALLIE PORTNOY ‘Venus’ [Cast glass/Stainless Steel]

Venus is the most referred to of all the deities in Greco/Roman mythology. She was the goddess of beauty and the embodiment of love and sexuality. It is said that she sprang from the froth of the sea near the island of Cyprus. Portnoy often bases her imagery on mythology using abstraction in thought processes as a strategy whereby simplification takes place and objects become ambiguous and undefined. She is attracted to the sensuality of the human form and translated into glass is able to use light that gives depth to her sculpture. She explores positive and negative shapes creating stylized simplicity. The height of her Venus is amazing considering it is in solid glass and would be huge to cast and very heavy to keep erect. It is supported at its base with a strong stainless steel triangular structure. Portnoy’s Venus has elegance, is golden and warm and as you move around its form the subtly of light and depth of colour changes in a fascinating and mesmeric way.

MARK AYLWARD 'Archaeology Of Life' [Coolabah/Spring Steel]
MARK AYLWARD 'Archaeology Of Life' [Coolabah/Spring Steel]

MARK AYLWARD ‘Archaeology Of Life’ [Coolabah/Spring Steel]

Coolabah is famously the tree that “The Jolly Swagman” sat under and its name is interestingly a loanword name taken from the indigenous Australian Yuwaaliyaay language (gulabaa). Coolabah is a wide spreading eucalyptus tree which is often more wide than tall. The bark is box-like, dark grey, thick and furrowed on the trunk and lower branches and full of gnarled character. Alyward has taken a trunk of coolabah slicing it through in multiple sections, which are highly polished on the surfaces that have been cut. The rich colour of the polished wood dramatically contrasts with the greyness of the trunk. Each section has then been threaded back together on a thick piece of spring steel. The resultant effect is of giant vertebrae with a lymphatic node hanging from its tip. It also reminds us of remnants of life taken from an archaeological dig. Archaeology of Life is a powerful work that is most commanding in presence.

JENNY GREEN 'The Dance' [Painted Steel]
JENNY GREEN 'The Dance' [Painted Steel]

JENNY GREEN ‘The Dance’ [Painted Steel]

Green says of her sculptures, “I aim to capture a moment, a movement, a place. Many of my sculptures are ‘drawings in space’ evoking both mood and action.” Green has taken sheet metal which she has basically cut out to create two dimensional images which represent in unassuming terms the lightness and carefree nonchalance of dancers which focus on the legs. In The Dance, the silhouetted flat representation of jaunty curvaceous limbs are painted in crimson red and black. The dancers are each supported at their base on the toes of a pirouetting foot. Each dancer has a shadow, which is cut and welded at right angles to the figures which function, supporting the dancers, by keeping them vertical. The Dance is pared down saying the utmost through simple visual language with the dynamics of the space in between the dancers adding to the cheerful rhetoric.

TOM MOURAD 'The Dream' [Lebanese Cedar Wood]
TOM MOURAD 'The Dream' [Lebanese Cedar Wood]

TOM MOURAD ‘The Dream’ [Lebanese Cedar Wood]

If you have ever embarked on a project with the challenges that Mourad sets himself, I take my hat off to you. In the first place we know The Cedars of Lebanon are famous but where do you find Lebanese Cedar wood in New South Wales, and of such a huge size? It is native to the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean and is the national emblem of Lebanon but even there their exploitation has caused few trees to remain. Whatever… the melodious and skillful manner in which Mourad has approached his carving project is a marvel. We are transported like in a dream in which images of bodies move in and out of one another, and where we feel caught in a labyrinth of passageways where limbs never endingly flow one into the other. The work is powerful and compelling. The golden honey colour of the wood is beautiful and tactile. Mourad with conscious action has effectively completed this remarkable sculpture.

PHILIPPA GRAHAM 'Engaged"' [Bronze]
PHILIPPA GRAHAM 'Engaged"' [Bronze]

PHILIPPA GRAHAM ‘Engaged”‘ [Bronze]

It is interesting to know where our influences come from. We as artists are all part of that path where keystone events occur that change the way we interpret our environment. Cubism started as an idea that was based on Paul Cezanne’s original view which included the reduction of form to geometric solids giving simultaneous multiple views to the subject. In sculpture shifting viewpoints tend to reveal the structure of volume. Graham’s cubist bronze figures have been reduced to simplified flatted forms. Some of the surfaces are highly polished and others are oxidized to give depth to their arrangement and are enjoyable to view from different angles. Engaged involves us with the rhetoric of two lovers who appear to be deeply encapsulated within their cocooned world. Their intimacy is tender as legs lovingly straddle across the others. The work is disciplined and precise with integrity and poise.

MARYANN NICHOLLS 'Individuals' [Mixed media]
MARYANN NICHOLLS 'Individuals' [Mixed media]

MARYANN NICHOLLS ‘Individuals’ [Mixed media]

Reclaiming objects to create into sculpture, although not a new thing, has become a highly popular. Marcel Duchamp is considered to have originated the idea with his series of ready-mades. It is now a well-thought-out and highly relevant way of using objects that are measured to have had a non-art function. The relocation of ready-made objects changes our perception of them and constitutes a modification of the object, reenergizing them in their new role. It also changes our perception of their value, their lifecycle, and their importance. Titles that the artist gives to the work add reinforcement to what they are about and are also important to manipulating the way we view the artwork. Individuals is a compilation of objects contained in three similar but differing clear Perspex tubes. Nichols concept has a philosophical aspect that demands our participation. Each section of the work has much in common as their contents all relate as photographic paraphernalia but are in fact quite different one from the other. Their contents are intriguing as are their internal environments with sharp colours, words, shapes and movement like internal organs in test tubes make them palpable. We are led to ponder their state and quality, as they are all, as we are, Individuals.

WENDY BLACK 'Rufus' [Bird wire/Skateboard]
WENDY BLACK 'Rufus' [Bird wire/Skateboard]

WENDY BLACK ‘Rufus’ [Bird wire/Skateboard]

Bird wire is a finer version of chicken wire, which is the more commonly known of the two but they both are considered a most versatile medium in the making of sculptural realism. The wires flexibility has been utilized in schools, and similarly it used by professional artists. With a pair of thick protective leather gloves, wire cutters and a good dose of imagination the malleability of bird wire know no bounds. Bending, moulding and overlapping wire to give a more dense appearance work wonders in creating all sort of images. Black is the creator of the adorable white and red-patched Rufus dog. Rufus immediately fixes us with his charming demeanour. I’m in love with Rufus because he is such fun, is cute and can ride a skateboard. I’ve always wanted to ride a skateboard, haven’t you?

JUNE BENNETT 'Sails' [Powder coated mild steel/Wood]
JUNE BENNETT 'Sails' [Powder coated mild steel/Wood]

JUNE BENNETT ‘Sails’ [Powder coated mild steel/Wood]

MIG welding, or Gas Metal Arc Welding, giving it its more technical name, is a process in where solid wire electrode is fed through a welding gun and into the weld pool, joining two base materials together. Bennett has clearly mastered the skill and utilized it to maximum sculptural effect. Interesting shapes have been welded together stacked and curved to create an imaginary sailing craft; she has the finely tuned eye of an artist whose intuition guides her. The Sails are far more interesting and exciting than any regular yacht’s sails. After welding shapes together the sculpture has been coated in dry powder electrostatically. The coating is cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a skin. The resultant finish is tougher than conventional paint. In this instance the finish appears to be similar to metallic automobile red. The wooden base complements Sails, further enhancing the nautical feel. Bennett has a good eye for shape and form and her work has a pleasing dynamic.

HELEN LEETE 'Clio The Mythical Steed' [Masterworks/Bronze patina]
HELEN LEETE 'Clio The Mythical Steed' [Masterworks/Bronze patina]

HELEN LEETE ‘Clio The Mythical Steed’ [Masterworks/Bronze patina]

Clio was a muse from Greek mythology. Like all the muses she is the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne and was one of nine Muses who were the goddesses of music, song and dance. The majority of divine steeds were offspring of four wind gods who were said to draw the chariot of Zeus in the shape of steeds. On first appearance I thought Leete’s relief was made in bronze. Actually is made from Masterworks with a bronze patina. Masterworks is a water based resinous material supplied as two liquid components that must be thoroughly mixed together. It can be made to replicate many materials, is hard wearing and long lasting. Leete depicts Clio and The Mythological Steed in fond embrace. There is unison and harmony within this relief sculpture. The steed’s head tosses towards Clio, making a strong connection with her gaze. The steed’s mane and the locks of Clio flow together underlining the strong feeling of unison. The work is both powerful and tender.

SUE ALEXOPOULOS 'Meditation' [Bronze]
SUE ALEXOPOULOS 'Meditation' [Bronze]

SUE ALEXOPOULOS ‘Meditation’ [Bronze]

During meditation the mind settles down to a state of pure consciousness. It is considered there is a range of benefits. A slender elongated female body dressed in a loose fitting gown, perfect for meditating in, clings to her womanly physique in a sensual manner. Her back is erect with eyes closed as she sits in a meditative pose… she is an expert! Alexopoulos uses a touch of humour as if the subject is in fact experiencing a degree of levitation with her hair suspended against the physical force of gravity and horizontal to the form. Meditation is executed in bronze and there is lovely use of green patina distinguishing the hair and gown from the bare face, upper chest and arms. This is an appealing work that is beautifully executed.

Darling Park 2012 Exhibition

30 July – 1 September, 2012