
Fatih Semiz; Curious Dreams of an Architect — III. Sculpture by the Sea 2018. Image: Su Leslie 2018
In one respect, placing over 100 contemporary sculptures around a coastal path in suburban Sydney does make them stand out — but it’s relative.
Some works,distinguished by their scale, colour, subject matter or position, couldn’t help but announce their presence.
Smaller, more subtle works sometimes seemed to blend in to the environment, and required time and closer inspection.
Other sculptures found themselves jostling for space. Over 40 of the 107 sculptures exhibited were sited in Marks Park, which is about midway around the Sculpture by the Sea trail. It is home to the pop-up gallery of smaller indoor sculptures and the event’s hospitality area, so despite some of the works being quite large, many simply didn’t stand out in the crowded space.
Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are, by Sydney artists Gillie and Marc Schattner, was the only work that really stood out for me in the Marks Park area. The artists’ statement says about it:
“The work calls on the world to welcome endangered species out from hiding, into a place of safety and love.”
And finally, there were works that weren’t always recognised as sculptures.
Several sites containing discarded items — including the bottles and cans below — formed a work concerned with the waste produced by our society.

One element from Monique Bedwell’s, But It’s Not My Rubbish. Sculpture by the Sea, 2018. Image: Su Leslie 2018
Hossein Valamanesh’s Conversations, involved weaving Persian carpets into seven existing public benches sited along the coastal path. This chap was not the only visitor who seemed confused by the rather beautiful, if understated, work.

One of the seven works in Hossein Valamanesh’s, Conversations. Sculpture by the Sea, 2018. Image: Su Leslie 2018
Posted to Lens-Artists Photo Challenge | Blending In –Or Standing Out?