After a vibrant opening weekend of art and community at the Rosby Wines gardens in Mudgee, NSW, Sculptures in the Garden (SIG) is excited to announce the winners of its 2024 exhibition.

With a record number of submissions this year, the competition for the top prize was more intense than ever.

The distinguished top prize — the SIG and Mid-Western Regional Council prize — which is awarded for the most outstanding large-scale work, went to Michael Vaynman (Springfield, NSW) for his striking work ‘Hope’.

The prestigious accolade is accompanied by a $30,000 award. This piece is made of bronze and stainless steel and speaks to Vaynman’s anxieties of where we stand as a species — “on the precipice of crisis and catastrophe or a hopeful and bright future”.

Vaynman uses the abstraction of the human figure to evoke these themes and engage the viewer in contemplation of this issue.

“I’m very honoured to be awarded the Sculptures in the Garden acquisitive prize and grateful to be able to participate in such a professional, well organised and prestigious event,” Vaynman says.

“Sculptures in the Garden provides an amazing opportunity for exposure to local and national artists, more broadly helping to connect them with a wider audience and maybe even inspire others, which is always exciting.

“Sculptures in the Garden, and other regional events like it, foster artistic talent by providing artists with a platform to showcase their work, which can enhance cultural identity and broaden the community's exposure to art and ideas they might otherwise miss.

“These events often bring people together, encouraging dialogue and connection among artists and residents. Additionally, they can stimulate local economies by attracting visitors and promoting local businesses. Overall, they create a vibrant cultural scene that enriches the community as a whole.”

This year’s exhibition selection committee included David Handley AM, the visionary behind the iconic Sculptures by the Sea, along with renowned architect and contemporary painter Susan Rothwell AM, journalist and artist Sam Paine and local Mudgee architect Cameron Anderson.

“This is a delightful community exhibition that results in sculptors being added to the public collections in Mudgee and Rylstone,” Handley says.

“Hats off to everyone involved.”

The Friends of SIG Prize, worth $10,000, was awarded to Paul Bacon (Wootton, NSW) for ‘Wren Temple’.

"Sculptures in the Garden provides a wonderful opportunity to show work in a glorious landscape. It is a highlight of my year — always welcoming and so well run. The opportunity to become part of a major public collection of such quality is an incentive to create work specifically for Sculptures in the Garden," Bacon says.

The Fernside Pastoral Company Prize, worth $10,000, was awarded to David Horton (Portland, NSW) for ‘Rimsky’.

“I’m very impressed with what the team at Rosby Wines have set up and to have my work in a collection out Central West is terrific. My time out in the Central West has exposed me to the rich artistic worlds that exist out of the cities,” Horton says.

The $5,000 Buchanan Mudgee Hospital Small Sculpture Prize was awarded to Stephen Hogan (Bathurst, NSW) for ‘Vine to Tap’ and will be displayed as part of the Mudgee Hospital public art collection.

"I was absolutely thrilled to win this award. It's always a joy to exhibit with the Rosby team who are so helpful and committed to showcasing Australia's best sculptors and regional talent. I'm delighted that this particular work will be on permanent exhibition at the Mudgee Hospital for others to enjoy," Hogan says.

These acquisition prizes will become public art pieces for Mid Western Region Council.

The $1,000 Cameron Anderson Architects Prize for Artistic Merit went to Peter Bartlett (Sydney, NSW) for ‘Circling’.

The $300 Sculptor’s Society Sensory Sculpture Prize went to Sam Nest (North Lismore, NSW) for ‘Being’.

Last year, incredibly, more than 60% of the works from the exhibition were sold and organisers are hoping to beat that rate this year.

"The sheer creativity and quality of the submissions this year were astounding. It was a tough decision for the judging panel, but the winning entries truly stood out for their originality, craftsmanship and connection to the theme of art and nature,” says Kay Norton-Knight, Founder and Curator of SIG.

“Congratulations to all our winners and participants."

SIG 2024 is poised to be a monumental success, with almost 1,000 visitors through the gate on opening weekend.

With the largest pool of submissions in the event's 14-year history, this year's exhibition showcases the vast talent in Australia's art scene, enriching the Mudgee community and further solidifying SIG's reputation as a significant cultural event.

Image: Lawson Park Sculpture Walk/supplied

Clémence Carayol

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