Gary Deirmendjian - Sculpture by the Sea

Gary Deirmendjian_DO NOT_2011_

polystyrene, timber, urethane (hardcoat)_2 x 2 x 2.4m

"As an artist and citizen, as a partner and father, as a human being … I object to your ways, you regulating priests of caution and conformity." - Gary Deirmendjian, 2011 

Congratulations to Gary Deirmendjian, who is a finalist in Sculpture by the Sea Bondi 2011.

A feature on Gary's work for this year's Sculpture by the Sea can be seen in today's issue of The Daily Telegraph and is accompanied by an online video interview with Elizabeth Fortescue.

Sculpture by the Sea Bondi celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and runs from 3 - 20 November 2011.



More shots from Sculpture by the Sea - Aarhus 2011...

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Container City, 2011
by Axel Arnott
Head Curator, Sculpture by the Sea - Aarhus, Denmark

Container City - statement

Container City is the entry point and administrative hub of Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus 2011. Assembled from refurbished containers that reference an industry so important to Aarhus and Denmark, it also alludes to the temporary buildings created for the “White City” National Exhibition staged on the same site in 1909.

Many of the functions of a city are to be found here also: administration and technical services offices, headquarters for business and commercial outlets, education facilities, places to eat, to drink, to gather together. And like most cities, a temple is to be found at its heart: consumer temple- aarhus by Australian sculptor Gary Deirmendjian.

Both projects have informed the development of the other across many months and with the assistance of many people from Denmark and Australia. However each project required the freedom to realise it’s own aims and resolve it’s own challenges. Container City is firstly a response to providing for administrative and technical necessities in a beautiful but unpredictable landscape. Where as consumer temple – aarhus is one artist’s sculptural response to contemporary global challenges.

Side by side they act to both reinforce and question each other. Together they meet the vast scale of the Tangkrogen landscape with the intent of providing an appropriate entry to the exhibition with an artists project at its heart.

This relationship is illustrative of the wider challenge for artists and exhibition staff in creating a sculpture exhibition in the public landscape. The landscape itself becomes a quiet but forceful member of the dialogue suggesting it’s own opportunities and limitations; it’s own logic and rhythms. It demands scale in some places and intimacy in others. It provides a stage for a diversity of creative expression that must be viewed through the lens of technical possibility. If a balance is achieved the works have sense of belonging which begins to emerge. It is a condition we can strive for by encouraging the dialogue.

- Axel Arnott

Gary Deirmendjian @ Sculpture by the Sea - Aarhus, Denmark....

Gary Deirmendjian_consumer temple - aarhus_2011 (install shots)

Gary Deirmendjian is currently exhibiting in Sculpture by the Sea, Aarhus – Denmark, until the 3rd July 2011 as one of six Special Invited Artists all of whom have constructed very large scale works or installations for the exhibition. Under the patronage of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus – Denmark includes more than sixty sculptures from all over the world which will be exhibited along the City of Aarhus scenic coastal walk.

Gary Deirmendjian’s project consumer temple – aarhus, a towering twelve meter high installation is situated as the focus of “container city”, a town square built from modified shipping containers housing Sculpture by the Sea’s key infrastructure including restaurants, cafes and educational facilities.

Gary Deirmendjian describes the ideas behind consumer temple – aarhus:

"Standing in a state of stable decay, the work suggests at an architectural proposition.

Its central chamber, suspended above the raised platform comprised of timber pallets, hangs stitched to three giant pillars by way of a network of chains.

When approaching and standing upon the platform, one’s gaze is drawn up into the darkened chamber high above, where light beams through small broken coloured windows onto a shopping trolley, fixed against the opposing wall. It rests beaten, twisted and burnt.

A section of reclaimed wharf suspended by rope near and somewhat lower than the trolley, is a major clue as to the chamber’s more audible purpose. When drawn back by its handling rope and allowed to swing and strike its target surface, the chamber generates a significant deep thud which is heard from some distance away.

While the architecture may hint at a house of worship from a forgotten time, its deity and practices may however feel oddly familiar. Clearly abandoned, the faith that has brought this house into being is no longer dispensed here.

Note: The work is composed entirely of elements that have in a very direct way served in supply chains and hence carry the patina and scars of actual service - ie shipping containers, pallets, pallet jacks, naval rope, reclaimed wharf, shopping trolley."

- Gary Deirmendjian, 2011

Sculpture by the Sea - Aarhus is a formed body comprising of the ARoS Kunstmuseum (http://www.aros.dk/), City of Aarhus and several other patrons including the Danish Royal Family.

Gary Deirmendjian in 'Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus - Denmark'...

Gary Deirmendjian_ consumer temple – aarhus_2011

Coinciding with his solo exhibition Skin to be held this May at Artereal Gallery, Gary Deirmendjian has been selected to exhibit in Sculpture by the Sea, Aarhus – Denmark, from the 2nd June – 3rd July 2011 as one of six Special Invited Artists constructing very large scale works or installations for the exhibition. Under the patronage of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus – Denmark will include more than sixty sculptures from all over the world which will be exhibited along the City of Aarhus scenic coastal walk. 

Gary Deirmendjian’s project consumer temple – aarhus, a towering twelve meter high installation will be situated as the focus of “container city”, a town square built from modified shipping containers housing Sculpture by the Sea’s key infrastructure including restaurants, cafes and educational facilities.

Gary Deirmendjian describes the ideas behind 'consumer temple – aarhus':

“Standing in a state of stable decay, the work suggests an architectural proposition. Its central chamber, suspended above the raised platform, hangs stitched to three giant pillars by way of a network of cables. 

When standing upon the platform, one’s gaze is drawn up into the airy chamber high above, where light beams through small broken coloured windows onto a shopping trolley, fixed against the opposing wall. It rests beaten, twisted and burnt.

The horizontal beam suspended near centrally and somewhat lower than the trolley, is a major clue as to the chamber’s more audible purpose. When drawn by its handling rope and allowed to swing back and strike, the chamber generates a significant gong.

While the architecture may hint at a house of worship from a forgotten time, its deity and practices, may however feel oddly familiar. Clearly abandoned, the faith that has brought this house into being is no longer dispensed here.” – Gary Deirmendjian, 2011

Sculpture by the Sea - Aarhus is a formed body comprising of the ARoS Kunstmuseum (http://www.aros.dk/), City of Aarhus and several other patrons including the Danish Royal Family.

Sculpture by the Sea...

Daniel Wallwork's Earth Fish

Gary Deirmendjian's flake

For those of you who have not yet had a chance to visit Sculpture by the Sea make sure you get to Bondi Beach this weekend before it finishes!

If you can't make it then check out Fleur MacDonald's review and top picks from this year's line up of artists.

Sculpture by the Sea...

 Daniel Wallwork's Earth Fish

Gary Deirmendjian's Flake

This year's Sculpture by the Sea includes works by two Artereal artists.

Daniel Wallwork's 2.7m high shark fin Earth Fish, is composed of recycled bumper bars. Gary Deirmendjian's flake, consists of a ripped up chunk of bitumen road, complete with pole and traffic lights. It "rests tilted and functionless like a fallen scab scraped off a healing wound, now powerless to dispense its authority."

Both works are located at Tamarama Beach. Sculpture by the Sea runs from the 28th October - 14th November, 2010 at Bondi.

Sculptures at Sawmillers

Installation shots: Gary Deirmendjian, Sawmillers Worm, 2010, 7.5m (length) x 80cm x 80cm, mixed media - latex balloons, internal lighting and other (tether, floating boom and anchorage means).

Artereal artist Gary Deirmendjian has recently completed a new work entitled Sawmillers Worm. Exhibited over the weekend as part  of the Sculptures at Sawmillers two day exhibition, the work was comprised of seven white balloons floating upon the water.

The exhibition was the initiative of a small group of McMahons Point residents and featured works from nearly 80 artists, with a prize of $10,000 also awarded. Held over the 18th and 19th of September in the little-known harbourside park, the backdrop proved to be perfect for showcasing an array of contemporary sculpture by emerging, mid-career and established sculptors.

In his artist statement Deirmendjian describes the work...

"... perhaps the work was quite simply a row of seven balloons sitting on the water.

Agitated by a unique collective of conditions at any given time and position, the work might have been perceived as a highly moment specific proposition - in that its immediate form is at the mercy of the passing moment.

Or, a little more suggestively, ... perhaps it was a reflection upon life. While each balloon was independently excited, there was the prevailing yet unseen lure to fall back into line so to speak - into the given social norm.

At best however, one hopes it was something interesting to look at. "

To see more images and a video of this work click here.

2010 line up for 'Sculpture by the Sea' announced...

Gary Deirmendjian, Out of existence, 2006-2010,
bisque fired clay & indian ink, 80 x 80 x 80 cm each.

Daniel Wallwork, Specimen I, 2009, discarded car bumpers,
2 pack automotive paint, aluminium & wood, 110 x 120 cm.

Congratulations to artists Gary Deirmendjian and Daniel Wallwork who have both been announced as finalists in the 2010 line up for Sculpture by the Sea.

Whilst we cannot reveal much at this point about the new work being created for Scultpure by the Sea, we can say that if previous examples of work by these artists is anything to go by we should expect something fairly spectacular!

Gary Deirmendjian's three part ceramic sculpture Out of existence can be seen at Artereal until July 3rd as part of our current Cranium exhibition. Stay tuned also, for Daniel Wallwork's upcoming solo exhibition Urban Entomology at Artereal from 3 - 27 November 2010.

For more information on Sculpture by the Sea visit: http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/