Coastcarers Support Sculptures by the Sea in Cottesloe

Frauke Chambers contributed this blog post after Cottesloe’s 12th ‘Sculpture by the Sea’ exhibition.

By spending many hours in the marquees selling catalogues, Cottesloe Coastcarers are part of the dozens of volunteers from all over Perth who contribute to the annual open-air sculpture exhibition of local, national and international artists. Our Council provides financial and in-kind sponsorship and every year buys a new sculpture of those exhibited for our community.

This year, our new bright yellow sculpture is called Golden Section  by London sculptor Ivan Black who creates synergies between wind powered art and technology. Reminiscent of our golden sun, this kinetic work moves in unexpected ways with the whims of our coastal breezes. It could be seen to refer to spontaneous activity of our bright lives on the coast.

The inaugural Rio Tinto Sculpture Prize of $50,000.00 was awarded to Dale Miles from NSW for his intriguing Parallel Thinking Space. Precariously balanced and exquisitely carved from red cedar, it invites the viewer to explore the play of  illusion and perceived reality. It references Renaissance fascination with varying perspectives, their multiple vanishing points and their intrinsic visual discomfort and ambiguity:

There were altogether 77 sculptures on the Cottesloe beach and foreshore and possibly the most spectacular – especially at night time – and, as it turned out, the most popular with  adults and children alike [it won both their Choice Awards] was Kakashi (Japanese for ‘Scarecrow’) by the Lithuanian Zilvinas Kempinas:

Seeing the joy and delight this annual exhibition gives to so many people of all ages makes us happy to be part of this unique event for Cottesloe and Western Australia – and at our Coastcare functions we appreciate the wine donated to us by the organisers saying thank you.

Frauke Chambers
(two small photos courtesy of SxS website)