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< All Events Major Sculpture Exhibition at Leura Park Estate12th Jan 2010Major Sculpture Exhibition at Leura Park Estate
Leura Park Estate vineyard’s cow paddock has been transformed into a meandering trail of massive steel sculptures created by one of Australia’s foremost artists, Jim Howson, for the month of January 2010.
Director of Leura Park Estate, Lyndsay Sharp said the “Growth is a Journey” exhibition would run 7 days a week throughout January and was a first for Leura Park Estate.
“To host an exhibition of such magnitude by a sole artist is exciting, we feel honoured that Jim approached us with a view to showcasing his brilliant new works and the fact that contemporary urban form really can compliment nature.”
“Every piece is over 3.5 metres in height and each provides an amazing contrast to the surrounding landscape – the sweeping hills, majestic Cypress guard and vines.”
Jim Howson said he has always been intrigued by the qualities of steel from its organic beginnings to its ultimate precise and structural form. A competent welder with an interest in engineering, machinery and its component parts has in part influenced the form and shape of his work. However his main influence has been nature itself.
“There are so many natural forms around us, by absorbing all those fantastic shapes, images are formed and created spontaneously - it is difficult to work out where one shape finishes and another begins,” Mr Howson said.
According to Howson, the main focus in his work is to emphasize the rawness of steel and its ability to be created into flowing shapes and forms.
“The sculptures are characterized by ordered harmonious, even musical lines that exude motion. The forms are predictable yet chaotic giving the pieces life,” he said.
Howson’s work is a unique blend of three dimensional and skeletal appearance that draws out the essential qualities of steel producing an effect of changeable rhythms and free movement which is reinforced from different viewpoints. The steel loses its coldness and solidness when transformed.
“Creating pieces using steel is totally exhilarating. Although an image is in your mind, each bend or twist of steel, changes that original image. You have an image evolving again in your mind yet a solid piece is evolving right in front of you.”
Leura Park Estate is open seven days a week in January for lunch, tastings and meandering through the cow paddock to enjoy “Growth is a Journey”, 10.30 – 5pm, 1400 Portarlington Road, Curlewis, 5253 3180. www.leuraparkestate.com.au
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