Chris Booth, ‘Laminae’ work in progress, Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2021. Image supplied by the artist.
We are excited to announce renowned New Zealand artist Chris Booth will exhibit as the Tourism Western Australia Invited International Artist at Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2021.
One of New Zealand’s most prominent sculptors, this will mark Booth’s first time exhibiting along the beautiful white sands of Cottesloe Beach, creating a new, large-scale work titled ‘Laminae’ for the exhibition. Inspired by fungi coral, made from macrocarpa veneer, the 4m wide sculpture is expected to weigh one tonne – in stark contrast to the delicate nature of fungi coral.
The hefty, immovable object will reveal the gravitas of the fragility of ocean life, with coral reefs of Australia and the world threatened and dying from humankind’s exploitation of our natural environment. The artist expressing that, “fungi itself is an organism of which I am particularly drawn to in many of my works over the past 25 years or so. Fungi is vital to the existence of all life on our planet and is also threatened by climate change.”
Since 2016, the Tourism Western Australia Invited International Artist program, which is supported by Tourism Western Australia, has exhibited the works of six acclaimed international artists on the shores of Cottesloe Beach for the enjoyment of Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe visitors.
Sculpture by the Sea thanks the State Government, through Tourism Western Australia, for its ongoing support, including the renewal of their sponsorship for another three years from 2021 to 2023.