AQUALAND SCULPTURE AWARD

Congratulations to Professor Shen Lieyi from China, this year’s recipient of the Aqualand Sculpture Award for Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2024. The acquisitive award of $100,000 is the most generous sculpture award in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the most sought-after in the world. ‘Tracing’ will be gifted by Aqualand for permanent public placement in NSW. ‘Tracing’ is a 3m-high work made from bronze and granite, inspired by the source of flowing water and the challenges of life. The idea of walking upstream is a metaphor for going against the flow; in this sculpture, it symbolises reflecting on the past, seeking origins and exploring the essence of things.

RECIPIENT OF THE MAJOR AWARD AT SCULPTURE BY THE SEA

 

Born in Hangzhou, China, Shen Lieyi is a highly acclaimed artist with a love of the natural world whose work focuses on the integration of personal experience and natural elements into insightful, conceptual sculptures. His work is represented in public collections including the National Museum of China, Nanjing Museum, Zhejiang Art Museum, and Basel in Switzerland. He has a major work in the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail, a permanent outdoor collection in southern NSW and 2024 marks the third time he is exhibiting at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi.

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

• Felicity Fenner – Associate Professor, UNSW Art & Design Chair, City of Sydney Public Art Advisory Panel
• Dr Michael Hill – Head of Art History & Theory, National Art School
• Oliver Watts – Artist, Senior Curator, Artbank

RECIPIENTS OF THE AQUALAND SCULPTURE AWARD

• 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