Twenty years! Can you believe Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe has been going that long? Well it’s on again, starting now until March 18. Ready, steady, go, do not miss it.
With over 70 artists from 14 countries including 13 Japanese artists, artists from China, England, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, New Zealand, USA and Ukraine, here are a few tips of what to check out.
1. Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill Sculpture Award. WA artist Johannes Pannekoek was announced as the recipient of the $30,000 Award for his artwork ‘Lifeblood’. This one of the most generous awards for the Visual Arts in Australia. Johannes is a Perth based artist who has exhibited nine times.
2. Seated Man. Perfectly positioned near the water, this piece will be all over Instagram in a heartbeat. The piece is made by invited artist Sean Henry who said he purposely made him a bit rough around the edges as it invites people to open up more.
3. Dave (image above). Who doesn’t love a man with a unicorn rubber floaty ring? Situated on the rocks it’s a bit more of a walk but well worth it.
4. The Top Of The Balance. The last time Chen Wenling exhibited his piece was stolen and retrieved from an attic. I was so pleased to see the little red man appear again. This time with a mirror ball on his head it’s a great piece to make us reflect.
5. Gumnut Cap. Every year there’s a lovely gentle piece hanging amongst the trees and this year is no exception. I really hope this piece survives and bad weather.
6. Others to check out. A couple of other pieces to check out are:
I believe I Can Fly. A pair of stainless steel wings you can stand in front of and have your photo taken.
Balga Boola – Bigsmob Balga. Sharyn Egan will be working with the community during the 18 days to add woven fronds to the existing collection of grass trees.
7. Community Access and Inclusion Program. Sculpture by the Sea has a brilliant initiative for people with disability and limited mobility. Daily tactile tours, Auslan interpreting, beach matting, and manual wheelchair loans enable people to access sculptures exhibited on the beach, making this year’s event more accessible than ever. Beach Access Days are on Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 March 2024. If it’s relevant for you or anyone you know please take advantage of this initiative.
8. Cott Cat Shuttle Bus. Seriously use the bus, it’s so much easier than finding a car park trust me. It runs every 20 minutes from 10.30am to 6pm.
9. Donate. Don’t forget to donate, $5 or $10 will make a massive difference. Most artists do not sell their works. Imagine that. They have to pay for the raw materials, transporting it to the beach, having it set up on the beach and the hours, days, months it takes to make it, all for nothing. This year the overall award was reduced so that the remaining money could be shared amongst the artists, a great idea.
Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe runs until March 18, 2024.
