Powder coated aluminium, fibreglass & polyester resin

2.2m W x 2.1 m D x 0.8m H (title taken from Simple Minds track of early 1980s)

The gift of growing older is self discovery - This work is about coming out of hiding, removing a weight that was once armour and turning it into something that glitters (this is most apparent on a sunny day!)

Glittering Prize has been brewing in my mind for around a decade, and with the support and expertise of Capral Aluminium and Artforms, I was able to bring it to life for this years Sculpture By The Sea at Bondi.

Part of the inspiration comes from the iconic Australian Fashion brand, Glomesh. Glomesh was first designed and manufactured in Bondi in the late 1950s and quickly became synonymous with glamorous, tactile, chainmail-like handbags in Australia and around the world.

In my art practice I often draw iconic objects and materials as a way to connect with the audience; their personal stories and memories then inform their interpretation of the work. This piece is supposed to be quiet and ambiguous inviting contemplation and reflection. To me, audience interpretation is just as relevant as my intention behind the work and in this way, it becomes, in a sense, interactive or at least participatory.

With the help of Capral and Artforms, I have modelled the outer tile-like blanket on an upscale version of Glomesh. Choosing to paint it the iconic off-white colour that they became known for. Many people have stories about sneaking a look and feel of their grandmother’s special purse or handbag and many more of the treasured items they have inherited and still own. To then hear what they think might be emerging from underneath it makes me as an artist, very happy! If you must know what is actually under there, it is a crouching fibreglass figure modelled on myself.