Reading (November Theme Day - Books and Reading)

At 7am, this Sculpture By The Sea Crew member is sitting on the clifftop in the sun and reading the exhibition catalogue.

To see how books are figuring in the lives of people around the world:
Click here - to view thumbnails for all participants

Television Within, Television Without (Sculpture By The Sea 12)

Dawn at Marks Park, midway between Tamarama and Bondi. My first "Skywatch Friday" entry.

Mark Wotherspoon, the creator of Television within, television without says: "This work is about the role television is playing in our daily lives, and in particular its effects on children. A child gazing away from the television - towards the imagination."

It is made from recycled television glass and stainless steel.

To view all my 2008 Sculpture By The Sea posts CLICK HERE.


Click here to discover what the sky looks like in other parts of the world.

Soldier Scale 1:1 (Sculpture By The Sea 11)

I thought a switch from animals to the human form might be in order today. Last year, one of my favourite SxS pieces, Bella, was sitting hereabouts (no prizes for guessing, with my love of swimming why she was a favourite!)

This is an altogether bleaker subject. This anguished soldier is made of polystyrene and polyurethane. Artists Ruth Bellotti and Steve Rosewell comment: "A normally heroic toy figure is given a twist in this life sized sculpture."

To view all my 2008 Sculpture By The Sea posts CLICK HERE.

Mongrel Country - Nil Tenure (Sculpture By The Sea 10)

These dogs are made of steel armature, bitumen, textiles and found objects. Artist Amanda Stuart says: "My intention is to explore the tensions that arise when domestic and wild animal and human communities cohabit a terrain."

Below: The second time I went , I just happened to catch this white "real version" example! You can also see how much the grass has been worn over the duration of the exhibition, by this stage two weeks.


To view all my 2008 Sculpture By The Sea posts CLICK HERE.

Every Dog Has Its Day (Sculpture By The Sea 9)

Every Dog Has Its Day by Geoff Harvey. More of Harvey's works - here and here.

I'm sure this one was made especially for Jilly... dogs and the seaside.

Tomorrow: More dogs!

PS In answer to a question from Halcyon who asked what happens to the sculptures: Like most exhibitions, the vast majority are for sale. Some will end up in public or private collections, others will be unsold. The exhibition catalogue lists the prices for each piece where it is for sale (not all are, and some are intentionally ephemeral).

I recently showed this piece on my blog - it was a former SxS piece. And this one "lives" near me; a friend reported that he had seen it recently at a conceet / fair in a park near him.

To view all my 2008 Sculpture By The Sea posts CLICK HERE.

An interregnum (Sculpture By The Sea 8)

This morning I got up before dawn again and headed back to Sculpture By The Sea. This time there was a lovely sunrise, and then blue skies to enhance the beautiful venue. Of course, with the sculptures spread out along the eastern seabord, the rising sun presented its own challenges for a keen, but definitely amateur photographer.

There are hundreds to download from my camera, so while that work is in progress, I thought you might enjoy, or at least be intrigued by this snap of a fellow photographer!

In Internet shorthand, I think the only question to be raised is: WTF? As no doubt these other passers-by were wondering...

Up In The Air (Sculpture By The Sea 7)

You have to look high to appreciate these works!

Above: Fragment by Kevin Draper. Artist's comment: "This sculpture evolved from a series of works using tripod structures integrated with symbolic plant forms. The tripod acts as an isolating device suspending the tree symbol between the land and the sky."

I love the tree against the sky, especially with the lowering sky, but I'm not very keen on the tripod.

Below: One of the most popular works in the exhibition, and certainly beautiful to watch in motion. It has won the prize for a kinetic work. It's Harmony With The Breeze by Kozo Nishino. The various titanium and stainless steel components move and "flap" in the breeze (which was more like a high wind when I was there). Artist's comment: "I hope the people who come and appreciate my work will feel the comfortable air."