LAWSON PARK SCULPTURE WALK

Lawson Park in Mudgee is a beautiful, tranquil and peaceful setting that plays host to a magnificent sculpture walk showcasing artwork from the Sculptures in the Garden exhibition.

The sculpture walk came to be after Sculptures in the Garden (SIG) founder, Kay Norton-Knight, along with the exhibition committee, proposed the idea to the Mid-Western Regional Council (MWRC) who deemed it a worthy and important asset for the local community.

In 2013, Sculptures in the Garden and MWRC funded a $15,000 acquisition prize to purchase an artwork from the exhibition. The following year, Moolarben Coal came on board and donated $5,000 for another acquisition prize and has continued donating this prize for the past four years.

In 2015, the SIG committee initiated “Friends of Sculptures in the Garden” with the goal of raising funds to offer another acquisition prize for contributing artists. In 2016 ‘Friends of SIG’ raised enough money for a $5,000 acquisition prize and in 2017 enough money for a $10,000 prize.

Each of these prizes enable a growing collection of works to be acquired for the sculpture walk, which is visited and enjoyed year-round by both locals and visitors to the region.

The creation of the sculpture walk, in conjunction with MWRC, is one of the main reasons why the SIG exhibition continues to take place.

“We want as many people as possible to enjoy the amazing artworks created for SIG, and the permanent art display that is the sculpture walk, provides this opportunity to all members of the public.”

— Kay Norton-Knight, Founder, Sculptures in the Garden.

'Town' By Paul Bacon SIG2017

“The importance of the sculpture walk to the community is the reason we created ‘Friends of Sculptures in the Garden’. We wanted to provide another reason for all sculptors to consider exhibiting at Sculptures in the Garden. Our objective is to continue enhancing the quality of works displayed at Sculptures in the Garden. Prize money is a big draw card for artists but for their works to be acquired by the Council and displayed in the public realm, is also very attractive and a more permanent celebration of their work,” Kay concluded.

The sculptural works are created using a variety of materials and techniques and are selected by a committee of people from backgrounds including council, engineers, architects and art curators, whom abide by strict guidelines when selecting the winning pieces. 

In addition to the sculptural artworks that run along the river in Lawson Park West, there are additional works for the public to enjoy that are currently located in council chambers and the local Mudgee library. MWRC will continue to add to its public art collection not only for works to be installed in Lawson Park but elsewhere throughout the region.

“The collection reflects our natural and cultural heritage, engages with our community and adds value to our infrastructure, attractions and public amenity. Council is committed to developing this public art program and encourages the participation in and appreciation of art by our community,”

— MWRC Mayor, Des Kennedy.

The collection’s creators are both local and visiting artists including, David Sherlock, Ingrid Morley and Wynne Prize finalist, Ulan Murray for his copper tree sculpture which currently resides in council chambers. 

Since conception in 2013, SIG has enabled MWRC to acquire 21 sculptures for their public art collection. 

- SIG and MWRC have purchased 11 sculptures

- Moolarben Coal have donated prize money for 6 sculptures

- ‘Friends of SIG’ have donated prize money for 4 sculptures

EDMUND CAPON TO OPEN EXHIBITION

Sculptures in the Garden at Mudgee's Rosby vineyard is pleased to announce that the 2016 exhibition will be opened by long-time Art Gallery of NSW director Edmund Capon.

Sculptures in the Garden is an outdoor sculpture exhibition on the weekend of October 8 and 9, 2016, which showcases hundreds of artworks annually in the setting of the Rosby homestead and vineyard outside Mudgee.

Guest speakers in previous years have included Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir and Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney Clover Moore.

Edmund Capon will bring a great depth of art knowledge to the event, as director of the AGNSW from November 1978 until his retirement on December 23, 2011.

Mr Capon expanded the building and collection and developed the gallery into a world-class centre for Australian and Asian art.

“With a visual psyche that has been so conditioned by the landscape and not by the human figure, the art of sculpture has tended to be in the shadow of the art of painting in Australia,” Mr Capon said.

“Happily that is no longer true, and it is events like Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney and Sculptures in the Garden that have made such a contribution to our appreciation of the art of sculpture, no longer the poor cousin in the story of Australian art, but a lively thriving centrepiece.”

Mr Capon holds a Master of Philosophy Degree in Chinese Art and Archaeology (including language) from London University’s Department of Oriental and African Studies, and in 2003 he opened the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ rebuilt Asian galleries.

Mr Capon is a Visiting Professor in the School of Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, UNSW; has written extensively on the arts of China; and has written and presented television documentary series on the art of Australia and China.

He has been honoured by the governments of Britain, France, Italy and Australia for his contribution to art and culture.

He is currently the Chair of the Australian Institute of Architects Foundation, Chair of Gallery 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art in Sydney and Chair of the Barangaroo Delivery Authority Landmark Public Art Jury, Member of the China Studies Centre, University of Sydney and an adjunct professor at the Australia-China Relations Institute at UTS.

An avid Chelsea supporter, he was Chairman of Sydney Football Club 2006-2007.