ADELAIDE artist Hossein Valamanesh’s distinctive “park bench” installations will take pride of place at an outdoor exhibition in Sydney this month.
Hossein has been awarded the Helen Lempiere Senior Artist Scholarship for sculpture, which will see his work exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi.
Iranian born Hossein, 69, moved to Adelaide in 1974.
His work has been exhibited in galleries in Australia and internationally and is included in many major public Australian art collections.
Hossein studied painting at art school in Adelaide, which is where he met his wife Angela, a ceramics artist.
The couple have developed independent careers but have worked collaboratively on a number of projects.
“We built a studio in our garden and still live and practise our art there,” he said.
“We have been reasonably successful in our work and I’m fortunate that I’m able to keep working at my art.
I’m self-employed so will probably never retire
- Hossein Valamanesh
“I’m self-employed so will probably never retire – but I keep going for the pleasure of it and am fortunate to be able to be mentally engaged.
“There seems to be more demand for our work these days with a gradual interest from galleries and commissions.”
The art installation being exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea offers a unique cross-cultural perspective informed by Hossein’s migration from Iran.
It is a series of seven different sized Persian carpets cut differently and intertwined on seven park benches.
“The pieces represent two cultures coming together which have to adjust to each other’s form the way the carpet is woven into the bench,” Hossein said.
“The two elements are coming together in a dialogue.”
Hossein and Angela recently returned from a trip to Japan where they collaborated on a sculpture which will be permanently installed next to Australia House in Japan.
Each artist awarded the Helen Lempriere Scholarship receives $30,000, which can be used for new equipment or travel to improve cultural exchange.
Sculpture by the Sea at Bondi will run from October 18-November 4.
During the event, Hossein will distribute postcards featuring words in Farsi by Persian poet Rumi, whose writing he has carried with him for years.
He will also speak at the Sydney Sculpture Conference on November 5.
For more information on Hossein’s art, click here.