EVERYTHING from animals and fables to the human form has been on display at the annual Jindivick Sculpture Show this year.

First published in the 29 May 2015 edition of the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen.
Image above: ‘Triangulate’ by Rex Greenland will be installed at the new Warragul underpass.

A variety of mediums including wood-fired ceramics, timber and stainless steel were utilised by artists for their entries, resulting in a varied and engaging display.

The majority of artists were based in Gippsland and competed for cash prizes to the value of $5,000, as well as the chance to have their work displayed at the Narkoojee Winery.

From over 50 entries, judges Penny Teale from the McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery and Mark Cowie of the Victorian Sculptors Association selected what they believed to be the 10 best works.

Artists Lawrence Marshall, Bill Binks, Sue Acheson, Ellen Sayers, Colleen Bright, Jason Hilder, Darren Nibbs, Wayne Foender, and Mary van den Broek all received the event’s top honour.

Several other monetary prizes were also awarded including the Nangara and Narkoojee Acquisition (John Bishop and Graham Duell respectively), as well as the Baw Baw Shire and Vic Roads Acquisition (Rex Greenland).

Greenland will have his work, Triangulate, installed at the new Warragul Underpass.

From the vast selection of art on display, the majority of the work was fascinating and highly appealing.

Two of the shortlisted works, The Sushi Barrel (Darren Nibbs) and Man does not live by bread alone (Lawrence Marshall) immediately resonate with the viewer for a number of reasons.

Above: ‘The Sushi Barrel’ by Darren Nibbs.

Inspired by giant tuna, known by some as the “barrels of the sea,” Nibbs’ work is made up of a wine barrel and recycled steel.

Not only is The Sushi Barrel significant in its stature, the intricacy of the work also adds to the artwork’s appeal.

On the other hand, Marshall’s work is a stylised depiction of a man fishing.

The somewhat whimsical nature of the steel sculpture immediately catches your eye and is largely abstract.

Jindivick’s show also featured several notable art pieces inspired by Australian fables.

David Doyle’s work Tiddalick celebrates the South Gippsland myth of a frog with an unquenchable thirst.

Tiddalick portrays the fable in a simplistic manner with painted, crushed steel.

Artist Lawrence Marshall also conveys a classic Australian Fable, Mulga Bill, but in an eerie manner with The Spirit of Mulga Bill.

Arguably Banjo Paterson’s most famous character, Bill is depicted by Marshall as a skeleton riding a bike and is made entirely from recycled steel.

But not all the artwork at the show resonates with the viewer.

A number of works seem simplistic in comparison to others in the exhibition, and some more abstract works were completely unrecognisable without knowing their names.

For example Bloom No. 3 by John Bishop, which received the Nagara Acquisition, depicts a flower. While its head was evident, the petals are hard to determine and not conveyed with any intricacy.

Above: Bloom No. 3 by John Bishop.

But overall, this year’s Jindivick Sculpture Show featured many impressive and distinctive works of art.

The intricacy and detail of most works, not to mention the incorporation of a variety of mediums, added to the enjoyability of the display. In most cases the viewer is able to comprehend the artist’s mentality and connect with the work on a deeper level.

Works from the festival were moved to the Narkoojee Winery in Glengarry [at the end of May], where they will remain on public display until the end of September. Some works remain on display around Jindivick.

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