The SWELL Sculpture Festival is Queensland’s largest, free outdoor celebration of art and beach culture. Now in its 13th year, the festival brings an astounding display of works from 60 international and Australian artists to the shores of the southern Gold Coast this month.
The 10-day event will transform a one kilometre stretch of Currumbin Beach into a vibrant outdoor gallery of interactive, engaging and thought-provoking sculptures and installations, and is open all hours. The festival also includes an exciting program of live entertainment, workshops, kids’ activities, performance art, artist talks, yoga experiences and more.
Social commentary on fossil fuels, relics of Atlantis made from recycled materials, and a reflection of Aussie beach humour will all feature at this year’s SWELL Sculpture Festival. More than 250,000 visitors are expected to visit the festival, which will feature a mix of dynamic public artwork, from monumental to miniscule, featuring work of Australian artists and others from the UK, Germany and New Zealand, including a 3.9m tall bejewelled crown structure atop Elephant Rock, a 650kg stainless steel chain dragon, a 1.6m tall lion made from galvanised aviary wire, and a 2m tall breaching whale which boasts internal LED lighting at night.
Artists work across all mediums, and vie for awards of more than $25,000, including the coveted $15,000 SWELL Sculpture Award sponsored by The City of Gold Coast and highly popular $3,000 Currumbin Beach Vikings SLSC People’s Choice Award.
The atmosphere of SWELL extends beyond just the sculptures with free live entertainment, sculpture workshops, kids activities, performance art, artists talks, fire shows, yoga experiences and more. More than a decade ago, SWELL Sculpture Festival rippled its way across Currumbin Beach and now the cultural attraction is a highly anticipated tide of fascination, captivation and inspiration to admiring visitors each year.
Through lighting and visual shifts, a selection of works will impart a new quality once the sun sets, allowing a new and alternative view to how they are seen in natural light. This will be especially insightful during a series of guided Twilight Sculpture Walks on each Sunday where Gold Coast City Gallery Assistant Curator Emma Collerton takes visitors on a fascinating artistic tour full of insights.
Northerly SWELL will also take place again this year, expanding the exhibition from Currumbin to Helensvale Library where an impressive sculpture of a giant whale made from chain links and measuring almost 3m in height will be displayed from 24 August for the duration of SWELL.
SWELL Sculpture Festival
11 to 20 September, 2015
Currumbin Beach, Gold Coast
Steve Bristow, The Last Wave
Photo: Daniel Michaud
Michael Van Dam, (Intervention 2)
Photo credit Steve Fitch
