“Ammonite” (2005), copper, 95 x 90 x 90 centimeters. All images courtesy of the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney, shared with permission
Widely regarded as one of the most renowned sculptors in Australia, the late artist Bronwyn Oliver possessed an unparalleled ability to shape thin copper wire into intricate patterns. Her sculptures of ammonites, palm leaves, and single buds are minimal in form and incredibly detailed in construction, with oscillating lines delineating the edge of a fossil or an elaborate web expanding into a plump cherry blossom.
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Evidence of Oliver’s devoted and time-consuming practice, the pieces are the result of intense twisting and brazing, a higher-temperature version of soldering. “My sculpture, I like to think of them as the bones of something. It might only be bone, but it might be the beginning or ending of something as well,” the artist says in a clip from the recent documentary about her life and work, The Shadows Within—the trailer is available on YouTube, but the full documentary is only streaming in Australia at the moment.
Oliver has gained greater recognition in recent years and is included in the corrective exhibition held at The National Gallery of Australia. Know My Name, which runs through June 26, showcases works from dozens of women who’ve significantly contributed to the country’s culture. Oliver’s sculptures are housed in major Australian collections, including those at The National Gallery, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the National Gallery of Victoria, and her public pieces can be seen at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden, the University of New South Wales, and Queen Street Mall in Brisbane. (via Women’s Art)
“Fringe” (2006), copper, 107 x 107 x 10 centimeters
“Sakura” (2006), copper, 48 x 48 x 20 centimeters
“Globe” (2002), copper, 2.5 meters in diameter
“Grandiflora (Bud)” (2005), copper, 60 x 58 x 58 centimeters
Left: “Palm” (1999), copper, 190 x 180 x 180 centimeters. Right: “Magnolia” (1999), copper, 210 x 150 x 150 centimeters
“Grandiflora (Bloom)” (2005), copper, 63 x 63 x 55 centimeters
“Eyrie” (1993), copper, bronze, 500 x 200 x 50 centimeters
Source: thisiscolossal.com