2011 Shanghai Sculpture Symposium (China)
2011 Australian - Korean Art Exchange Exhibition ( Gold Coast, Australia )
2010 Murray Bridge Symposium ( South Austalia )
Introduction
For thirty years now I’ve been making sculptures for landscapes and buildings in Australia and overseas. This means I work with people - developers, curators, gardeners, architects, project officers - but I also work with places. I work to intensify the value in every location. I highlight the natural qualities of the chosen site. And I clarify the social, historical and psychological factors – the desires, hopes and culture –that make each location special in the hearts of its custodians and visitors. By tuning in to these forces, I’m able to identify the spirit of a place. From there, I can give material form to that special spirit. Typically I use stone or wood, but I might choose stainless steel, bronze or any other substance that my research reveals to be right for the place. I have a simple rule: by the time a project is complete, the location must be enriched. Clearly, different people measure richness in different ways - economic, social, ecological, psychic, spiritual. Acknowledging this diversity of values, I make sure my sculptures interact with their settings so that the value of the place is improved according to all these different measures of wealth. Over the years I’ve learned that every project is a milestone in my own artistic development. I’ve also learned that my artwork is strongest when viewers feel that the sculpture has made the site into a milestone for their own journey through life. For that reason, I value consultation and interaction with the public during the planning, creative and installation processes. When a place has been artistically improved like this, people return to it often and take care of it because it has real significance in their lives through identification with their environment and their community
(from: http://www.stonesculpture.com.au/AbruinsmaArtistStatement.pdf )
Antone Bruinsma is an Australian-based sculptor with more than 30 years of professional experience. He moved to Australia with his family from Amsterdam, Holland at the age of 12. His love for art started with his love of spending time with his father, a Dutch artist and painter, in his father's art studio. After Art College, he held positions on the Warana Festival Committee (Brisbane), the Crafts Council (Queensland) and Society of Sculptors Queensland (president 1983—1985), to promote public art and sculpture in Queensland and Australia. His motivation is to present meaningful sculpture for public display.
Antone’s motto is “for excellence in 3-D contemporary fine art”. His sculptures are homages to Mother Earth and the gifts she bestows on us. He uses archetypal and mythological imagery, related to the environment and the community in which the sculptures will be placed - whether public art or in a private residence. Antone’s work is stimulating, iconic and designed to capture the public’s attention and imagination. His love for and dedication to three dimensional art and art in all its forms is unwavering. (from: http://www.stonesculpture.com.au/about-artist-and-sculptor-antone-bruinsma.html )