- John Davis (sculptor)
Infobox Artist
bgcolour = #6495ED
name = John Davis
imagesize = 200 px
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = 1936
location =Ballarat , Victoria,Australia
deathdate = 1999
deathplace =
nationality =Australian
field =Sculpture
training =
movement =Arte Povera
works = "Tree Piece"
patrons =
influenced by =
influenced = Andrew Rogers
awards =John Davis (1936-1999) was an Australian sculptor and pioneer of
Environmental art .Early life
He studied at the Royal Melbourne Institute of technology, Caulfield institute of technology and Melbourne Teachers College before becoming a lecturer at Prahran College of Advanced Education. [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=JOHN DAVIS: EVOLUTION OF A FISH - TRAVELLER | date= | publisher=McClelland Gallery | url =http://www.mcclellandgallery.com/index.php?prfPageId=past/past08 | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-09-16 | language = ]
Work
An Australian exponent of
Arte povera , he famously developed a new mode ofSite-specific art at the Mildura Sculpture Triennial in the early 1970s. His most influential work, which was entitled "Tree Piece", was made by encasing the trunks of several growing trees on the banks of the Murray River with, alternately, papier mache, mud, latex, coiled string, plastic cling wrap, and twigs bound together. The impermanent work was then allowed to weather and rot away. It was a breakthrough which lead many sculptors to reconsider the fate of outdoor works, and whether the fabrication of art might in some way adversely impact on the environment. Taking his cues from Aboriginal artifacts, Davis later became chiefly known for tender assembled works made of natural materials, including leaves and twigs, intended to highlight the fragile beauty of nature.ee also
*
Environmental sculpture References
Further reading
*1988 "Sculpture of John Davis" by Ken Scarlett ("ISBN 0947062262")
External links
* [http://cs.nga.gov.au John Davis in National Gallery of Australia] cs.nga.gov.au
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