Sculptures by the Sea has opened for 2014 with a $1.2 Million renewal of funding announced by the Premier of New South Wales.
The Sculptures by the Sea continues to mesmerise visitors in Bondi for the 18th year in a row and his year, American artist Peter Lundberg received the State’s most generous sculpture prize for the second time.
The Premier of NSW, The Hon. Mike Baird announced Peter Lundberg from the United States, as the recipient of the $60,000 Macquarie Group Sculpture Prize for his sculpture ‘Ring’ at the launch of the 18th annual Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi yesterday.
In opening the exhibition, he also took the opportunity to announce a commitment from the New South Wales Government of $1.2 million in funding to the exhibition for the next four years.
“I’m proud to announce the NSW Government has renewed its support for Sculpture for the Sea and will provide $1.2 million to one of Sydney’s most anticipated annual exhibitions for the next four years.”
Mike Baird
“The exhibition along Sydney’s iconic Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk is going from strength to strength and plays a major role in increasing the State’s appeal as an international arts and cultural destination.”
“I congratulate artist Peter Lundberg for being awarded the Macquarie Group Sculpture Prize,” Mr Baird said. “Being awarded the top honour at Sydney’s most iconic outdoor exhibition is one thing, but to be recognised for a second time is a truly great achievement.”
The $60,000 acquisitive award is the most generous sculpture prize in NSW and one of the most substantial sculpture prizes in the world, providing a considerable boost to the artist’s career. In the near future, Sculpture by the Sea and Macquarie Group will determine and announce a suitable permanent location for the sculpture.
Peter Lundberg was chosen by this year’s judging panel:
- Dr Michael Hill, Head of Art History & Theory, National Art School;
- Erlend Høyersten, Director of the prestigious ARoS Museum, Aarhus, Denmark; and
- Denise Mimmochi, Curator, Australian Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales.
“It’s kind of overwhelming as there is such a tremendous group of sculptors exhibiting this year who are at the top of their game. To be considered among them is an honour in itself; it’s a tremendous honour, there’s some real quality in this exhibition and it gets better every year.”
Peter Lundberg
Lundberg was the recipient of the Balnaves Foundation Sculpture Prize in 2012 for his sculpture, ’Barrel Roll’ which was gifted to the Royal Botanic Gardens. In the same year Lundberg received the Nord Art Award in Germany.
Macquarie Group Deputy Managing Director, Greg Ward, said: “On behalf of Macquarie Group, I’d like to congratulate Peter Lundberg. We also congratulate David Handley and his team for curating what promises to be another outstanding exhibition.”
“Sculptures by the Sea, Bondi is a tremendous arts and community event and it’s a privilege to support the team that for the past seventeen years has made a valuable contribution to making the visual arts accessible to everyone.”
Greg Ward
“Congratulations to Peter Lundberg who is only the third artist in 18 years to receive the major award twice,” said Founding Director of Sculpture by the Sea, David Handley.
“It’s wonderful to have an international artist of Peter’s calibre in the exhibition and we look forward to finding a home for the sculpture where it can be enjoyed by Sydney audiences for years to come.”
David Handley
Peter Lundberg’s recent sculptures include three monumental sculptures for the West Rutland Art Park and Downtown Rutland, Vermont, the artist’s home region in the USA. Also this year, Lundberg created six sculptures ranging six to twelve metres tall, all of which are on display at the Thompson Estate Winery in Margaret River, WA. All works were cast in the earth and then pulled out to stand tall against the sky. This large production of work was part of a two-month residency where Lundberg utilized the winery facilities to also produce a number of large paintings and small models. Exhibited were both small and large works in concrete and bronze, as well.
Lundberg’s bronze entry into Bondi this year is titled ‘Ring’. ‘Ring’ initiated a new line of work currently in production at the Mao Yi Dong sculpture production facility in Beijing, where Lundberg maintains a large studio. Lundberg’s other studio is in Vermont.
Peter Lundberg has exhibited with Sheffel in Bad Homburg, Germany at the Storm King Art Center in New York and has public sculptures on four continents and over a dozen major public sculptures purchased by city collections in Cottesloe, Tangsham, Taizhou, New York, Frankfurt, Nuremburg, Pittsburgh, and Columbus as well as numerous private and public collections. This is the fourth time Lundberg has exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi.
Additional award recipients will be officially announced on Friday 24 October at the Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2014 opening night party held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
The other award prizes include:
- The Waverley Council Mayor’s Prize of $5,000
- The Art Gallery Society of NSW Prize of $5,000
- The Andrea Stretton Memorial Invitation to Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe of $5,000
- The Macquarie Group Sculpture Inside Prize of $5,000 for a sculpture in the indoor exhibition held concurrently on the south Bondi headland.
This year’s exhibition of Sculpture by the Sea transforms the breathtaking Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk with 109 diverse sculptures by artists from 16 countries. The exhibition is free to the public and runs from Thursday 23 October until Sunday 9 November 2014