The sculpture club

Bondi Beach may be known for its vibrant atmosphere and surf, but thanks to a forthcoming event, yet another attraction is to draw visitors to the beguiling Sydney beach. From October 29 to November 15, the world's largest annual outdoor sculpture exhibition, Sculpture by the Sea, will be held.

Spectacular show

With more than 100 unique exhibits from artists all over the globe, Sculpture by the Sea has become one of the most popular sculpture exhibitions in the world and, when the setting is as stunning as Bondi Beach, it promises to be nothing short of spectacular. Exhibition founder David Handley explains how it all came about. "Sculpture by the Sea began with the aim of creating a major free-to-the-public event for everyone to enjoy in dramatic and beautiful outdoor locations. The Bondi show is now in its 13th year and Cottesloe (Perth) will have its sixth exhibition next March."

So what can people expect to see? "Sculpture by the Sea is made up of the broadest possible spectrum of sculptures in the world today, and includes everything from abstract to figurative to found objects, to installations made out of every possible media in all different sizes," says Handley. "This means there is something for everyone so that, as you walk around, you might like something, loathe the next and love the next sculpture. This always produces plenty of debate between people who, for some reason, feel more comfortable about voicing their opinions than they do when they are in an art gallery."

Exhibiting artists include leading sculptors from around the world to emerging artists, says Handley. "Each year our exhibitions throw the spotlight on one or two new, emerging artists whose careers get launched through the popular and collector response to their work. This is tremendously exciting with past examples including Yoshio Nitta from Japan, Angus Adameitis, Alex Seton and Richie Kuhaupt from Australia, and New Zealander Phil Price."

A sculpture of your own

For visitors who fall in love with the sculptures there is the possibility of taking them home. "All of the sculptures are for sale," says Handley. "The purchased works end up on farms, in back gardens and in lounge rooms across the world, though naturally our biggest market is Australia where many of the farms of Margaret River in Western Australia, and the Hunter Valley and Southern Highlands of New South Wales have been transformed with sculptures over the past five to ten years."

While the sculptures vary in price and cost anything between $100,000 (Dh367,904) and $150,000 (Dh551,856), the median price is approximately $50,000 (Dh183,952). However, an accompanying indoor show called Sculpture Inside sells works that vary from $250 (Dh919) to $20,000 (Dh73,580).

For those who won't be able to make the Bondi exhibition, there may be the possibility of visiting Sculpture by the Sea closer to home. "We would love to stage an exhibition in Abu Dhabi," says Handley. "I had my first visit in June this year. It's early days but we feel it would be a brilliant location as the Middle Eastern hub for Sculpture by the Sea, as it's central and there is a real effort and focus to make Abu Dhabi the cultural capital for the region." n