The Association of Sculptors of Victoria is an inclusive, not-for-profit collective of contemporary artists whose purpose is to inspire,stimulate and advance the appreciation, creation, and exploration of three-dimensional art in society.

MIFGS 2018 Review and Judgement

From Graeme Wilkie - judge of the Sculpture garden at the 2018 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
Review and Judgement


Paul Cacioli asked me, yesterday, what am I looking for as a judge?

Sculpture to me, has always been a visual language.

Not about words… but of an experience in a spatial sense contemplation.


Graeme Wilkie & David Long
Judging well, we all do that! We all rely on our own perception and our egotistic preferences. …within the viewing experience.



I, first, draw on my perception and then rely on a personal aesthetic, with an eye for detail and also consider the craft skills of the maker.

Diary Dates

We mostly meet in the community meeting rooms of the Ashburton Baptist Church. Enter the building from the Marquis Street carpark. We’ll start at 7:30pm

There won’t be a meeting in April - we’ve dropped the bundle after MIFGS and we’ve taken off on holidays.... likely a studio visit or cosy fireside chat in May - . do we have volunteers?

Matthew Harding Memorial at Lorne

Matthew’s last work "Landbridge"
Next month we’ll publish Jackie Mckinnon’s article on Matthew Harding’s memorial and the Lorne Bienale.
 

The March meeting with John Bishop

John with his work for the
Edrington Exhibition
John Bishop and his work mainly in limestone.

A select group of us enjoyed an evening with John Bishop. He talked about how he got started in sculpture - his approach to his work and his progress.
John was an active figure at the recent MIFGS - both as an exhibitor and as a demonstrator - working through rain and shine and inspiring lots of people.
Here are his three works from MIFGS: Fragment, Neo and Plant Form #3
There’s a Youtube clip from 2011 that’s really worth watching too - see it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=LgfcLf64mvI





Opportunities to Enter or View, News and Events

Lots of Interesting news this month - read on for opportunities or things to see....

Meridian Sculpture Foundry is offering workshops in wax working and bronze casting - you can see their program here: http://meridiansculpture.com/sculpture-modelling-workshops/ It’s worth noting that Meridian’s prizes at this year’s Annual Exhibition included a workshop - there’s something to think about! You can also follow them on Instagram meridiansculpture

NAVA News


Owning the right to your own work

Across Australia this month, visual artists are being fĂȘted at the nation’s highest-profile events - the Adelaide Biennale, the Biennale of Sydney, the NGV Triennial, with the Perth and the Adelaide Festivals ending only recently - and for each of these events there will be tens of thousands of Tweeted links, Instagrammed images and Facebooked responses.


Read more at https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2018/owning-right-your-own-work/?utm_source=MASTER+List+-+Email+Subscribers+%2B+Members&utm_campaign=83d8dddda2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_News_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0001b90ee5-83d8dddda2-76430669



News from McClelland Gallery



NEW DIRECTOR @ McCLELLAND SCULPTURE PARK plus the announcement of the Southern Way McClelland Commission

ASV Notices

Here are some of the items we need to attend to in order to keep the wheels on the ASV:

Vale Matthew Harding

The Association of Sculptors of Victoria is saddened to learn of the recent death of Matthew Harding. With the announcement of Matthew's memorial service many obituaries will be coming in - here is a tribute from Mark Cowie reflecting his and our loss.


I am saddened to write informing members of the Association of Sculptors of Victoria of the recent death of Matthew Harding who tragically ended his life on Thursday, 22 February 2018, in Trentham, aged 53.

Matthew resided in Trentham with his wife and four young children. His studio and workshop are also based in the township. Many of you will remember him opening the Association’s Annual exhibition in 2016.

Although acquainted through friendship, it is only appropriate that those closest to Matthew reference his life and speak to his personal qualities. With that in mind, if I may, I would like to offer the following tribute.

It is challenging to describe the depth and complexity of Matthew’s life as an artist. The breadth of his three-decade-long artistic career is extensive and significant. A prolific, multi-skilled artist with a considerable exhibiting history, he has notable lists of private commissions and major public installations, and some noteworthy prize awards. The array of his sculptural and visual art works situated across Victoria, around Australia and in many parts of the world are testament to and a constant reminder of his standing as one of the most inventive, appealing and well-respected contemporary Australian designers and sculptors.

The evident regard for Matthew’s mighty catalogue of works arises in response to his appreciation of conceptual excellence, his keenness for creative challenges, and, ultimately, his bravery and tenacity in achieving resolution of the form. I, for one, am inspired, and often rediscover my sense of wonderment, when viewing many of his works. And in all that energy to manifest works engendering intrigue, intricacy and dynamism, his artistic temperament has stood strong and authentically. Matthew’s seemingly innate ability to conceive and design sculpture of sometimes stunning magnitude and scale, yet all the while counter-pointed by works of contemplative and reflective qualities, reveal time and again his exquisite craftsmanship and dexterity traversing many styles, media and disciplines.

I was fortunate and honoured to have Matthew open and introduce my exhibition at Little Gallery in Trentham in 2016. He was in fine form that evening.

Matthew will be profoundly and forever missed by his family. He will be deeply missed as a wonderful human being. His infectious behaviour, enthusiasm and engagement with so many as a mentor, collaborator, colleague and friend will also be missed for long. May he remain an inspiration for future artistic endeavours of many within the creative collective.

My sincere condolences to Matthew’s immediate and extended family.

Vale Matthew Harding, farewell.
Mark Cowie

A Mass celebrating Matthew’s life will be conducted on Thursday 8th March 2018, at 11:00am at St Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, in Trentham. Immediately following the Mass, Matthew will be buried at Trentham Cemetery. The service will be followed by a wake at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Trentham. For more information please contact Natural Grace Funeral Services in Woodend on 1300 008 037. Matthew’s wife, Freya, plans to create a garden in Matthew’s honour, so that the family can tend, nurture and grow something beautiful from their loss. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to bring a frost-tolerant plant of your choice.


More information can be found on http://www.matthewharding.com.au/ including a link to a support fund to assist his young family.