Returning bigger and better after a COVID-affected year, the Lorne Sculpture Biennale 2021 will see Lorne become a significant player in Australian contemporary art. Under a new curatorial model, the Biennale has been themed “Spirit of Place”, with 16 artists invited to respond to ideas, histories and identity inherent in the concept of place.
Over 16 precincts along Lorne’s foreshore from Point Grey to the Swing Bridge, 16 prominent sculpture artists will respond to themes such as indigenous history, surf, shipwrecks, the ocean’s bounty and the construction of the Great Ocean Road.
According to the event’s curator and brainchild behind the new model, Graeme Wilkie, the change in approach is a natural progression and one that is needed as a logical ‘next step’ in the evolution of the event: “This 7th edition, offering a new curatorial blueprint, uses artistic genesis to delve into the fabric of the village through innovation and visual relevance and to punch above its weight into the world of International Biennales.”
“The word Biennale marks out this mission. A Biennale is a philosophy and ambition not constrained by semantics, size of the event, or previous history. It is inspiring and aspirational for the artists. Each of the 16 invited artists will respond to and make art reflective of the ‘spirit of place’ Lorne.”
The opening weekend of the Melbourne Cup ‘long weekend’ will set the stage for large audiences visiting Lorne, enlivening a period of the year that has historically been a quieter period on the Great Ocean Road. Over 3 weeks and 4 weekends from 30 October to 21 November, visitors will be encouraged to return to visit more than once through an engaging and diverse program that will complement the core sculpture exhibition.
In addition to the core sculpture trail event, a small sculpture exhibition and associated prize will be hosted at Lorne Community Connect. The small sculpture show will feature works by the 16 Biennale artists, alongside other established and emerging sculptors. The Ken Scarlett Award – a unique award for writers writing specifically about sculpture, and named after the Biennale’s inaugural curator – will also be on offer.
2021 will also see a return of SculptureSCAPE, an event that will see eight artists (four each over two weekends) create ephemeral sculptural works at the Erskine River mouth. The works – each created and exhibited over a single weekend only – will be thematically sympathetic to ‘Spirit of Place’, inviting audiences to witness, and often participate in, the act of creation.
A curated program of events, known as Sculpture Plus, will run in parallel to the core sculpture event and will feature free and ticketed performances, workshops, nature walks, Indigenous education and other experiences – both indoors and out in Lorne – for the four weekends of the Biennale from Thursday to Sunday.
The website for Biennale has now been launched, and features details about all 16 artists and their precincts.
As in previous years, the event has been made possible through the generous support of individuals, as well as federal, state and local government funding and sponsorship. Support for the event is still welcome and details are available on the website.
The website will be regularly updated as the program for this year’s event develops. To keep up to date with additions to the program and other news about the event, you can follow Lorne Sculpture Biennale on Facebook and Instagram and also check in to the website www.lornesculpture.com.
For further information, contact: Stacie Bobele, Program Manager
M: 0404 025 157. E: manager@lornesculpture.com
