4 Things We Love About the Lorne Sculpture Biennale.

As it heads into its seventh year, Lorne’s Sculpture Biennale has undergone a fascinating transformation. The event will still be free to all attendees and nestled along the coast of the Great Ocean Road. However, in 2022, the world-famous sculpture festival will be expanding into new creative territory. 

The Story Behind the Lorne Sculpture Biennale

Like so many beautiful things in this world, the Sculpture Biennale was born out of friendship. Lorne local Graeme Wilkie had long dreamed of blending the natural beauty of the foreshore with the artistic side of the human spirit to create an outdoor exhibition that could capture the world’s attention. With the support of his friends and the local community, he made this ambition a reality.

Spirit of Place: A New Model for the Sculpture Biennale

In 2022, Wilkie and his team introduced a new curatorial model. The artists involved in this year’s Sculpture Biennale were asked to explore the spirit of the place in which their sculptures will be set. So, each piece you view will be an embodiment of the environment in which you’re viewing it. 

Gadubanud Custodian and Traditional Owner of the Land, Richard Collopy, explained it beautifully in his welcome to the 2022 Lorne Sculpture Biennale:

“This most beautiful bay here is a place of strong spiritual and cultural memory and energy that’s very alive today. We want people to be able to understand and see this is a very real thing in this landscape, in this complex world.”

Finding Opportunities in Challenges

Though there’s a sense of constraint involved in giving artists a theme around which they must work, this year’s contributors have all found something powerful within the new boundaries. 

One of our favourite pieces this year comes from Philomena Manifold, a geologist, author, and artist whose work tells the story of the rocks along the Great Ocean Road. When asked about the new curatorial model for the exhibition, Philomena explained, “the unique challenges of being limited actually become unique opportunities.”

Expanding the artistic offerings 

Another intriguing new element we’re looking forward to in 2022 is the abundance of other artistic events that will be circulating around the space. The famous sculpture festival is spreading into all-new artistic dimensions, with music, live performances, circus acts, workshops, and other interactive experiences.

We couldn’t be more excited to head down to Lorne for this year’s Sculpture Biennale. The event spans three weeks, from March 12 to April 3 2022, and entry is free.