AQUALAND SCULPTURE AWARD

We are delighted to announce that James Rogers has received the Aqualand Sculpture Award for Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2025.

Congratulations to James Rogers, this year’s recipient of the $70,000 Aqualand Sculpture Award for Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2025. ‘Siren’s Song’ will be gifted by Aqualand for permanent public placement in NSW. James Rogers is based in Walcha, NSW and is recognised as one of Australia’s pre-eminent sculptors. He has previously exhibited in Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 20 times, including in the very first exhibition in 1997.

RECIPIENT OF THE MAJOR AWARD AT SCULPTURE BY THE SEA

James Rogers (NSW), ‘Sirens Song’, Sculpture by Sea, Bondi 2025. Photo Dan Varrica.

The Aqualand Sculpture Award was selected by this year’s judging panel:

Dr Michael Hill – Head of Art History & Theory, National Art School
Henry Mulholland – Senior Art Specialist, Deutscher and Hackett
Margarita Sampson – Artist (NSW)

RECIPIENTS OF THE AQUALAND SCULPTURE AWARD

2024 Professor Shen Lieyi (China) Tracing
2023 John Petrie (NSW) 23.5°
2022 Tony Davis (WA) Folly Interstice
2019 Morgan Jones (New Zealand) The Sun Also Rises
2018 James Parrett (Vic) m-fortysix
2017 David Ball (NSW) orb
2016 Johannes Pannekoek (WA) change ahead

PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS OF THE MAJOR AWARD

2015 Jörg Plickat (Germany) divided planet
2014 Peter Lundberg (USA) ring
2013 Stephen King (NSW) fallout
2012 Peter Lundberg (USA) barrel roll
2011 Paul Selwood (NSW) paradiegma metaphysic
2010 Keld Moseholm (Denmark) mirroring 1995
2009 May Barrie (NSW) time and tide granite monolith II
2008 Mark McClelland (NSW) she thought
2007 David Horton (NSW) yesternight: a work in progress
2006 Orest Keywan (NSW) … and with a name to come
2005 Vaclav Fiala (Czech Republic) chapel (2005)
2004 Vaclav Fiala (Czech Republic) belfry for jørn utzon (2004)
2003 Richard Goodwin (NSW) carapace
2002 Kate Davis (England) target (2002)
2001 Nigel Harrison (NSW) omeomi
2000 Libby Bloxham (NSW) celebrating diversity and Richie Kuhaupt (WA) hollow man
1999 Orest Keywan (NSW) with a view
1998 Campbell Robertson-Swann (NSW) night passage
1997 Michael Le Grand (ACT) deshabille and Duncan Stemler (NSW) venus

The Aqualand Sculpture Award is the most generous annual sculpture award in Australia.

Chosen by the exhibition’s Judging Panel, the Aqualand Sculpture Award is an acquisitive award with the sculpture gifted by Aqualand for permanent public placement in Sydney.

The sculptures that received the 2016 and 2017 award were gifted by Aqualand to the Harbour Trust for placement in Headland Park at Georges Heights. The 2018 and 2019 award recipient sculptures were gifted by Aqualand to North Sydney Council.

From 2013 – 2015 Macquarie Group provided the award with the works gifted to the Harbour Trust for placement in Headland Park. From 2009 – 2012 the Balnaves Foundation provided the award with the works gifted to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

In 2006 and 2007 NAB provided the award with the works gifted to Orange Regional Gallery.

From 1997 – 2004 Sydney Water provided the major award at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi with the majority of the works gifted to Campbelltown Arts Centre.

Click here to view photos of the past recipients sculptures