Since its inception in 2003, the McClelland Sculpture Survey & Award has emerged as the most important biennial outdoor sculpture exhibition in Australia. Bringing together a wide range of sculptors from emerging, mid-career and established artists, working in wide range of styles and different media, it encapsulates the best of current sculpture practice.
The ‘2014 McClelland Sculpture Survey‘ presents 33 works in an outdoor exhibition that highlights the diversity and invention of contemporary sculpture. Over 50,000 people have visited the exhibition since it began late last November. With over 3500 votes cast, the winner of the Frankston City People’s Choice Award was announced on Saturday 18 April at McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery with the $20,000 cash prize awarded to New Zealand artist Phil Price for his large scale, wind-activated kinetic sculpture, Chrysalid. This work sees the long fern fronds dance in the changing natural environment.
“The wind powered Chrysalid is an outstanding work, it is continually fascinating, with the ever-changing choreography of the gently moving sci-fi tendrils silhouetted against the sky. It is an ambitious continuation of Phil Price’s kinetic sculptures, a great recipient of the People’s Choice Award”, says Robert Lindsay, Director, McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery.
“In John Wyndham’s book ‘The Chrysalids’ a picture is drawn of a world parallel to ours, where nature evolves permutations of itself in its reproduction. These range from minute to extreme, humans with a sixth digit, to the wildest plant and animal formations and conglomerations. A moral dilemma is presented where the humans have to decide to either separate and eliminate or embrace and evolve. I thought that was a great concept for reflection, and a good part to the whole of my Chrysalid”, says winning artist Phil Price.
“Art viewers are often asked to buy into agreeing with just how fabulous the emperor’s new clothes are’, continues Price. ‘In choosing to make sculptures which have a very tangible presence in the public domain, and in so much a very real audience, it is always nice to get the thumbs up. Receiving the Frankston City People’s Choice Award for Chrysalid at the ‘McClelland Sculpture Survey’ is a great pleasure. Following on from the overwhelming positive response to Tree of Life on Peninsula Link freeway, Chrysalid belongs to the same family of strange futuristic trees growing in the Frankston area”, continues Price.
The McClelland Award is the richest and most important biennial outdoor sculpture Award in Australia. With its sixth Survey, McClelland continues to consolidate its position as one of the most important Sculpture Parks internationally.
2014 McClelland Sculpture Survey
McClelland Gallery & Sculpture Park
Until 19 July, 2015
Melbourne
Phil Price, Chrysalid, 2014, carbon fibre, industrial paint, stainless steel, precision bearings, 1080.0 cm (height)
