Ben Apfelbaum

SCULPTURE BY THE SEA : IN MINIATURE

Many people in their quest to see the large and often spectacular sculptures with glorious backdrops of the Pacific Ocean, Bondi and Tamarama beaches often miss one of the jewels of this annual event, for example the Maquettes. Just as painters will do preliminary sketches or a draft, so too do sculptures. Prior to creating a large edifice for installation they prepare small miniature models technically named Maquettes.

Despite admiring some particular sculptures intensely in the main event most people do not live in premises that could house these gigantic objects. Furthermore, the cost runs into five or six figures.

Maquettes are the ideal compromise. Most cost in the four figure range, they can fit in your house or apartment, and in most cases can be carried away by hand. I attended on the last day of Sculpture by the Sea and there were plenty of sold red dots on these small but often powerful objects of desire.

 

Published by Ben Apfelbaum

My photography began when my father handed me the proverbial brownie box camera as a child. As cameras developed I went through Fujica and Olympus range finders graduating to my first single lens reflex camera, the Minolta SRT101, the latter being the greatest facilitator to my growth as a photographer. Digital photography has only added to this. I was a regular contributor to Camera Craft magazine (Australian Camera ) for over three years. During Australia’s Bicentennial year (1988) I made it a personal project to document the celebrations. This culminated in the creation of a book of my photos which was published in 1989. The book was called CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA and came with an accompanying calendar. My works have appeared in a number of publications including the coffee book entitled MY AUSTRALIA (1989), publisher Robertsbridge Severn. This book had a preface by the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. I was a co-photographer on a book entitled SYDNEY- DISCOVER THE CITY with text written by Robert Treborland. Major Mitchell Press was the publisher. Also for two years I was the photographer for calendars celebrating Sydney’s multicultural communities. The two calendars were entitled MULTICULTURAL SYDNEY. My work appeared in a group exhibition held at Sydney’s Town Hall pertaining to the diversity of life in South America to raise money for orphanages there. I have over one hundred photos stored in the New South Wales State Library archive. I had a solo exhibition held in 2007 entitled Ben’s Lens at the Sydney Jewish Museum which celebrated the vibrancy of the Sydney Jewish community. Some of these photos are on the Museum’s permanent display. I have exhibited internationally firstly at the Spruill Gallery in Atlanta Georgia, united states, and in an exhibition entitled Kosher and Co at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Currently I am a regular contributor to J-Wire and this esteemed publication.