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Indepth Arts News:
"Transformations: A Century of Sculpture"
1999-06-13 until 1999-07-13
Queensland Art Gallery
South Brisbane, ,
AU Australia
This exhibition presents aspects of International and Australian
figurative sculpture from the late nineteenth century to the
present. It demonstrates the complex evolution of sculpture over
the last century, a period of great change in this art form. The
main focus is on the human figure and its transformation
through the medium of bronze.
The exhibition opens with two works by Auguste Rodin, a great
influence on 20th century sculpture. Smaller bronzes from late
19th/early 20th century explore the figure as an allegory and are
presented with reference to their poetic sources, particularly
Metamorphoses by the Roman poet Ovid. Works by artists
including Jean Baptiste Carpeaux, Charles Despiau, Alfred
Gilbert and Bertram MacKennal drew on classical conventions
of figurative sculpture that continued to be used up to the late
nineteenth century.
Later 20th century sculptures explore the expressive body:
Visitation by the renowned British sculptor Jacob Epstein,
Mimmo Paladino's Night song, and works by Australian artists
George Baldessin and Victor Meertens. Transformations also
includes a major new acquisition by Mike Parr, Radio Daze
(minus 17 - minus 53), a large installation comprising 220
drawing boards from the artist's studio and thirty-five cast
bronze heads.
Figurative sculpture has endured as a tradition while sustaining
enormous changes over the last century in artistic approach,
materials, methods of exhibition and public reception. Artists
continue to use the traditional medium of cast bronze for its
flexibility, beauty and expressive sensual qualities.
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