The nineteenth Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe welcomed two Ukrainian artists today, Egor Zigura, whose sculpture ‘Colossus that Rebelled’ is part of this year’s exhibition, together with compatriot Dimitry Grek’s with his sculpture ‘Contemplation’. The exhibition of Ukrainian artists in Perth is the continuation of Sculpture by the Sea and its donors’ support for Ukrainian artists at last year’s Bondi exhibition and the unfurling of the giant 18m long Ukrainian flag on Cottesloe beach at the exhibition in March last year, and again in Bondi in November. Zigura is joined in Perth by his partner Viktoria Kulikova, Art Director of the Abramovych Art Agency in Kyiv. Egor and Viktoria are currently refugees living in France. Their attendance at Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe is supported by Tony and Gwyneth Lennon, while the Barton Family Foundation has supported the exhibition of Zigura’s artwork.
Next week, Viktoria will be speaking at the ‘Perth Sculpture Conference” on the Plight of Ukrainian Artists in the War and How they are Helping in the Defence of their Country. The “in conversation” styled session with David Handley, Founding CEO & Artistic Director, Sculpture by the Sea and the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail will cover topics ranging from the difficulties facing artists in Ukraine immediately following Russia’s invasion, life as a refugee, and how they are staging exhibitions around the world to highlight the invasion and to raise funds for humanitarian and military resources in Ukraine. Viktoria and David worked together on the showcase of Ukrainian artists in Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi in 2022.
Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe, Perth’s largest free to the public outdoor art exhibition, runs from 3 – 20 March. An estimated 200,000 visitors are expected to visit Cottesloe to see 71 sculptures from Western Australian, interstate and international artists.
The Perth Sculpture Conference will be held from 8 – 9 March 2023 at the State Library of Western Australia, as part of Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2023. New York’s Storm King Art Center, widely regarded as the most important outdoor sculpture museum in the world is the International Presenting Partner. The conference is also presented in partnership with local Western Australian organisation DADAA (Disability in the Arts Disadvantage in the Arts).