“Sculpture by the Sea 2023”, the world’s biggest outdoor sculpture exhibition, opened on Oct. 20 at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, showcasing artworks by 105 artists from 21 countries, including three pieces by Taiwanese artist Hu Tung-min (胡棟民).
Hu Tung-min is a renowned public artist from Taiwan. He is an expert in using stones, stainless steel, and other materials in his creations, with recurring themes such as connection with nature. As the sole Taiwanese artist in this event, he was exhibiting three installations made from stainless steel, namely “Ark (舟)”, “Roaming Clouds (雲遊)”, and “Billow (波瀾)”.
Hu said that Taiwan and Australia share similar geographical elements because both are island nations surrounded by water, which he attempted to emphasize by presenting the image of water drops through his installations. He explained that, by using the element of water to create an “ark”, he tried to display the invisible power of water. “People usually notice tangible things, but intangible things in nature also require our attention and respect”, said the artist.
He added that, in contrast to observing artworks in a museum, which is more common, he prefers to have the audience interacting with his installations directly through multiple senses. For example, through touching and smelling, the audience will have different reactions, he said. He also noted that, through his stainless steel sculptures, visitors will have artistic experience that allows them to rethink our relationship with nature.
“Sculpture by the Sea 2023” is running from Oct. 20 to Nov. 6, and this event is expected to attract more than 500,000 visitors.
For more information on “Sculpture by the Sea”, please visit their website: https://sculpturebythesea.com/