Work in progress: Week 3 (27 March 2016). Shoso will complete his works on 3 April 2016. Visit Wye River to see Shoso's works as part of the Lorne Sculpture Biennale 2016.
Artist Statement
This work is a tribute to the families and communities ravaged by the bushfires that raged through Wye River on Christmas Day 2015.
This work is a reminder that we are powerless before the full force of nature, something often forgotten in our civilised world. The fragility of our relationship with the environment is another theme running through this work, but more than anything it is the triumph of the human spirit over adversity and the certainty that new homes will rise from the ashes that I wanted to express with this work.
One of the main design feature of the work, the spiral shape, symbolizes the natural living energy that runs through all creation. It is a visualization of universal life: rebirth, growth, and progress.
Although fresh foliage and floral materials are small portion in the overall design, they create strong contrast with the burnt material and convey a message of rebirth.
Bio
Shoso Shimbo is a certified teacher of Ikebana. His floral work was selected for the prestigious publication, International Floral Art in 2014/2015 & 2016/2017, Stichting Kunstboek (Belgium). He has won multiple awards including the Gold Award at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.
His sculptural works have been featured in some of the major contemporary art exhibitions including the Toyota Sculpture Exhibition, Lorne Sculpture, Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award Finalists Exhibition and the New Wave Art Festival at the NGV. His recent commissions includes a public work of art for the Archibald Award Exhibition 2015 at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.
Shoso has an MA (Monash), a Master of Fine Art (Monash) and PhD in Education (RMIT). He is also qualified as a garden designer (Japan Horticultural Society). He is a directer of International Society of Ikebana Studies and the floral art director of Mondopiero, and he teaches Japanese Aesthetics at RMIT short courses.
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