sculpture by the sea: world’s largest open-air exhibition at bondi beach

sculpture by the sea returns to bondi beach as the world’s largest open-air exhibition. the free to public show which transforms the spectacular coastal walk into a 2km sculptural park attracted over half a million visitors last year featuring work by artists from australia and across the world. last year designboom reported on many of those show’s entries and below is a preview of those on display in 2017.

karl meyer, foci (2017), image © c yee

the exhibit, which has been running since 1997, celebrates its 21st birthday this year. the idea was the product of sculpture by the sea founder, david handley, who was motivated to create a major free public art event. ‘while running away from the corporate world and living in Prague in the early 1990’s I was taken to an outdoor sculpture park’, explains handley. ‘I had my first experience of the power, if not majesty, of sculpture. from here my thoughts for the ‘event’ I might one day put on began to turn to sculpture.’

karl meyer, ‘foci’ (2017), image © c yee

the show which invites artists to install sculptural works along the shoreline runs for three weeks, oct 9-nov 5, during australia’s springtime. the exhibition showcases works specifically designed to interact with their surroundings including abstract pieces that frame sunset views, figures splayed on coastal rocks and a boat ‘washed up’ to shore.

britt mikkelsen, ‘ocean lace’ (2015), image © c yee

stephen marr, ‘under one sky’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

stephen marr, ‘under one sky’ (2017), image © a sky

james dive, ‘what a tasty looking burger’ (2017), © c yee

elyssa sykes-smith, ‘stagnation’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

harrie fasher, ‘the last charge’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

harrie fasher, ‘the last charge’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

joen petri, ‘space’ (2017), image © c yee

winner, david ball, ‘orb’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

simon hodgson, ‘melencolia’ (2017), image © c yee

xia hang, ‘rangerer’ (2017), image © c yee

lucy barker, ‘sea through’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

faith semiz, ‘curious dream of an architect’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

kathy allam, ‘plastic paradise’ (2017), image © g carr

linon meagher, ‘look out for me’ (2017), image © c yee

yoshio nitta, ‘i put a moon on the table but it has a hole and is lacking’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

sonia payes, ‘littoral echo’ (2017), image © c yee

testsuro yamasaki, ‘circle on the earth’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

tango conway and amelia skelton, ‘white wash’ (2017), image © g carr

jock clutterbuck, ‘song of the alsors’ (2017), image © g carr

by april pine, image © jessica wyld

orest keywan, ‘bronze age’ (2o17), image © c yee

small ocean collaboration with jeremy sheehan, ‘rise and fall’ (2017), image © jessica wyld

denis pepper, ‘leaden hearts’ (2017), image © jessica wyld