Gleb Dusavitskiy, “I Believe I Can Fly.” (Photo: Tyr Liang)
Once a year, part of the Australian coastline is transformed into an outdoor museum during the Sculpture by the Sea festival. For the 25th edition, over 100 works made by artists from across the globe were installed along the sandy shores, inviting visitors to gaze at art while enjoying the beach.
The Sculpture by the Sea festival is the largest sculpture exhibition in the world, attracting more than 500,000 visitors during its three-week exhibition. All of the works follow the walk from Bondi to Tamarama beaches, measuring about a 2-kilometer distance just outside of Sydney. Some of these pieces are constructed from metal, while others from plastic and other materials. The scale of the sculptures ranges too, from a pair of woven wire wings stretching into the sky to an ice cream truck melting on the sand.
A video shared by the festival showcases the spectacular effect of displaying such a varied collection of sculptures along the shoreline. Not all are situated on the sand itself. Some of these works are hung from rocks, planted in the grassy parks before the start of the beach, or installed closer to the tide. Seeing these artworks immersed in nature rather than inside of a gallery space helps them take on a new life. In addition to transforming the landscape, the art seems to change itself.
Scroll down to see more amazing works from the Sculpture by the Sea festival.
This year was the 25th annual Sculpture by the Sea.
The Glue Society and James Dive, “Hot With the Chance Of A Late Storm,” 2006–2022. (Photo: Charlotte Curd)
Leda Alexopoulou, “Keep Walking.” (Photo: Charlotte Curd)
The festival brought over 100 sculptures together and displayed them along the Australian coast.
Emryn Ingram-Shute, “No Colour in War.” (Photo: Tyr Liang)
Tsukasa Nakahara, “Water Blocks 19-11,” 2021. (Photo: Charlotte Curd)
A variety of works line the walk from Bondi to Tamarama beaches near Sydney.
Juan Pablo Pinto and Cristian Rojas, “The Hermitage.” (Photo: Charlotte Curd)
The Glue Society, “Hot with A Chance of a Late Storm,” 2006. (Photo: Louise Beaumont)