A splash of art by the sea
On a rocky ledge overlooking shimmering blue waters, a giant white seashell seemed to have found an ideal perch. People would approach it, some touching its gleaming surface. They would then stop in front of its opening, listening to the inexplicable sound that emanated from within – perhaps best described as the music of the sea.
The giant seashell called Acoustic Chamber – by Arissara Reed and David Nurimba – was among the art pieces that easily elicited oohs and aaahs at the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition held in Sydney, Australia late last year. By chance, we had learned about this show while on vacation there so we made hurried plans to squeeze in a visit and see for ourselves why there was so much buzz about it.
On its 19th year, the popular annual event could probably count as one of the most spectacular exhibitions in the world. For what serves as its gallery is the coastal walk from Bondi Beach to Tamarama Beach, covering a two-kilometer stretch of hilly terrain.
In its outdoor venue and amid windy but mostly sunny weather, Sculpture by the Sea laid out more than a hundred works by artists from 19 countries led by host country Australia. As if the vast array of pieces wasn't astounding enough, the stunning natural settings made it an incomparable art experience. No wonder the exhibition was a crowd-drawer, with guests filling up the paths.
We were pleasantly surprised to find that a Filipino artist was included in the exhibition. Alwin Reamillo's Bayanihan Hopping Spirit House was a composition of pine timber, bamboo and found objects – think bahay kubo stripped to the bone and adorned with sardine cans, native pamaypay, garapon and other curios. It was set up on Tamarama Beach where people could go around and examine its details closely.
Reamillo's work is described in the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition catalogue as “a reminder of the resilience of people displaced by natural disasters.” He supposedly wanted to showcase the bayanihan or the spirit of community that would spontaneously emerge following natural disasters, as seen in the rise of volunteerism in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda.
Half Gate by architecture students Matthew Asimakis, Clarence Lee and Caitlyn Rosby was the work that launched a thousand selfies and snapshots. Composed of mirrors angled in different directions, it was such a hit with viewers who clicked merrily away at their reflections.
Sculptures that had the good fortune of having the sea and sky as backdrop left many in a dilemma as to what to look at first – the man-made work of art or the views of nature behind it. They often lingered long enough to appreciate both.
Waves crashing on rocks, the blue sky sprinkled with wispy clouds and the expanse of water that stretched to the horizon were the perfect complement to such pieces as: Ben Fasham's BJF13, a stainless steel and bronze exploration of balance and curved forms; Rohonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky's Picnic, a simulation of a picnic blanket and basket in woven copper; and Laurence Edwards' Crouching Man, part of his series of bronze figures representing different psyches.
Art's ability to amuse was shown in the likes of Thai artist Naidee Changmoh's Fun! The cartoonish bronze figure of a boy doing a headstand reveals a surprise at the back – a puppy actually propping it up.
Sarah Fitzgerald's output was quite hard to miss – it's a giant “X” in timber and plywood, painted red. With the foot traffic on the beach, parts of it ended up being covered in a film of sand, necessitating a clean-up every now and then. The artist's statement? “`X' marks the spot.'
Whether the works challenged you to think or made you scratch your head, brought you joy or creeped you out, Sculpture by the Sea fulfilled its mission – to showcase art that engaged the public. And with a setting so breathtaking, this exhibition is one you're likely to remember for a long, long time.
