Typhoon Delays Japanese Art as Sculpture by the Sea Returns with Star-Studded Lineup

Eight of nine works from participating Japanese artists remain stranded overseas, as the aftermath of Typhoon Matmo continues to disrupt shipping routes through China and Hong Kong. The delay has forced organizers to hastily reconfigure installation positions just days before the exhibition’s opening, with no definitive timeline for when the missing sculptures might arrive.

Despite these setbacks, the popular annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition is moving forward with an impressive array of domestic and international works expected to draw approximately 450,000 visitors during its 18-day run along the coastal walkway.

Among this year’s most anticipated contributors is renowned Australian painter Tim Storrier, marking the first time an Archibald Prize winner has participated in the coastal exhibition. Storrier, whose decorated career spans six decades, is presenting “The Splotcher,” a colorful figurative sculpture evolved from his famous “Histrionic Wayfarer” painting series.

“Every artist with a decent brain does self-mockery every day,” Storrier remarked about his work. “It’s intended to be insolent, put it that way.”

The National Art School graduate has amassed an impressive collection of accolades throughout his career, including winning the Sulman Prize at just 19 years old in 1968 (still the youngest recipient in the award’s history) and again in 1984. He later claimed the Archibald Packing Room Prize in 2014 for his portrait of friend Barry Humphries as Sir Les Patterson, and in 2017 secured the $100,000 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize for his portrait of artist McLean Edwards.

David Handley, founder of Sculpture by the Sea, expressed enthusiasm about Storrier’s participation, highlighting the exhibition’s significant public reach. “They get a huge walk past,” Storrier noted, “much bigger than the Archibald Prize – it’s pretty extraordinary.”

The artist didn’t shy away from controversy, criticizing what he perceives as identity politics infiltrating government-funded art decisions. “It’s not about the look of an object anymore, it’s about the political message and the suitability of the artist who made it; it’s a type of Marxism,” Storrier stated, suggesting such approaches exclude established artists regardless of their experience.

This year’s exhibition showcases diverse works from artists across Australia and internationally. Justin Morrissey presents a bronze sculpture of a backyard pool shell, commenting on “the absurdity of consumerism and our strong desire to control the natural world.”

New South Wales artist Graeme Pattison has created an interactive red telephone box where visitors can listen to recorded messages, while Queensland’s Andrew Cullen contributes a giant goanna crafted from recycled timber. Victorian artist Adnan Dogan’s “Colossus,” a meticulously welded steel crocodile with an imposing grimace, represents thousands of hours of craftsmanship.

Drew McDonald, creator of last year’s People’s Choice winner “Sharnana,” returns with “SOMA,” a Dadaist-inspired piece featuring dolphins leaping from a toaster. From further afield, Brazilian artist Geraldo Zamproni presents an oversized threaded needle piercing through a coastal rock ledge.

Coinciding with his Sculpture by the Sea installation, Storrier is also featured in a solo exhibition titled “The Approach of Summer” at Brisbane’s Philip Bacon Galleries, showcasing his paintings, prints, sculptures, and maquettes.

The exhibition’s broad appeal underscores what Storrier views as a disconnect between public taste and institutional art choices. “People don’t appear to want to go to a lot of state-funded art,” he observed, contrasting with the massive attendance Sculpture by the Sea consistently attracts.

As installation continues along the coastal path, visitors can look forward to experiencing this unique outdoor gallery against the dramatic backdrop of Sydney’s coastline, with hopes that the delayed Japanese works will eventually join their international counterparts in this celebration of three-dimensional art.