Now in its 14th year, Sculpture by the Sea returns to transform the famous white sands of Cottesloe Beach with the annual free-to-the-public outdoor sculpture exhibition from 2 March 2018.
Attracting an estimated 220,000 visitors, the exhibition is on display from the sea wall all the way along the sand towards North Cottesloe and on the surrounding grassed areas creating a beautiful sculpture park showcasing more than 70 Australian and international artists including 28 artists from Western Australia.
Considered one of the most important contemporary artists of the late 20th century and early 21st century, celebrated Chinese artist Zhan Wang will exhibit for the first time in Western Australia with a new work created specifically for Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2018 titled Floating Rock.
The two metre high and four metre wide stainless steel rock will float on the water at Cottesloe Beach. The mirrored surface of Floating Rock will glitter in the sun and no doubt fascinate the beachside audience at the forthcoming Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2018 exhibition.
The artistic feat is the latest addition to Zhan Wang’s famous series of works, the Artificial Rocks series, which he has been making since 1995. This is the first of his floating sculptures to be anchored to the sea floor as his previous works in the open ocean have either been left to float where the tides took them or have been on pontoons.
“It is thrilling to be exhibiting a work by Zhan Wang that has been specially commissioned for Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe,” said Founding Director of Sculpture by the Sea, David Handley AM. “The sculpture will sit serenely on the calm water, glisten as the sunsets and be buffeted by waves when the wind is up.”
“The best places to view the sculpture will be from the Cottesloe groyne and the beach and grass under the trees south of Indiana’s. And a tip for regular ocean swimmers: look ahead once you pass the pylon heading south.”
Acclaimed Israeli artist Zadok Ben-David returns for the second year in a row after his 2017 work Big Boy (2016) captured the imagination of the thousands of visitors to the exhibition and his success at this year’s Perth International Art Festival.
Ben-David and Wang will be joined by a number of other leading international sculptors, including Danish architect Johan Gjøde whose work at Sculpture by the Sea, Aarhus in Denmark in 2015, The Infinite Bridge became an international hit.
The exhibition will also showcase works by some of WA’s leading sculptors including Tim Burns, Olga Cironis, Elaine Clocherty, Tony Davis, Kevin Draper, Ron Gomboc, Tony Jones OAM, Janine McAullay Bott, Johannes Pannekoek, as well as leading mid-career and emerging artists Sharyn Egan, Jina Lee, April Pine and Tania Spencer.
Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe runs 2 – 19 March 2018. For more information and complete artist list, visit: www.sculpturebythesea.com for details.
Image: Artist Impression of Zhan Wang’s Floating Rock (supplied)