Sculpture by the Sea 2010 Bondi exhibition
7th January, 2011
Tom Bass’ last totemic sculpture is featuring in the Sculpture by the Sea 2010 Bondi exhibition
It is (no 62) on the grass platform next to the steps from Mark’s Lane along Mark’s Park.
Tom Bass designed People Power in 2007. People power can effect change in our society and win the kind of David and Goliath battles sometimes encountered in the face of forces that may want to direct change against the ideals of people.
“I hope that the expression of people power is evident in the design of the sculpture with its strong upward thrust and the arms engaged in a symbolic expression of struggle.”
The decision to make the work in Corten Steel was inspired by the waterside and industrial situation for which it was originally designed. To quote Bass further:
“This is the first time I have contemplated using corten steel in my work. It is also not commonly used in sculpture but the nature of the sculpture lends itself strongly to being expressed in this material – in fact I could not now imagine it being made in any other material. A further benefit of corten steel is that it gives the sculpture a life of its own as it changes over time and with the climatic elements – rain, cloud, sun ….acting as a kind of barometer for climate changes and reminding the community of the beautiful and astonishing effects of the elements.
The sculpture itself is a development of earlier work I did in the 70’s and contributes to a significant body of work that I have done in that manner. ” May 2008
Originally designed to be of monumental proportion this edition of People Power for SXS stand over 2 metres tall.
The exhibition goes till November 14th.
At the Sculpture Indoor you will find three sculptures made by Tom in the 70’s – Ecstatic Head I, Wave II and Enclosed Form. Images of these works can be found on this website in the slide show of personal work