SEan williams
Sean Williams graduated with honours from Queensland College of Art in 2003 and has since developed local and international public art projects through his work at UAP. He received the Emerging Artist award at the 2017 SWELL Sculpture Festival and, in 2018, an Arts Queensland RADF grant for a mentorship with Emeritus Professor Patricia Hoffie. In 2020, he earned another Arts Queensland grant for an Assistant Curator role at SWELL. In 2022, Sean graduated with Distinction from the Master of Visual Arts program at Queensland College of Art. His first solo exhibition, Embodied Memories, debuted in 2023, with one piece, Slough, winning the Max Fabre Foundation Environmental Awareness Award at SWELL. In February 2024, Sean will collaborate with artist Donna Davis in a show at the Ipswich Art Gallery.
‘Phyllotactic Spiral’ is a representation of the seed pattern in the pinecone of a Hoop Pine, constructed from increasingly larger ploughshares. This spiralling pattern conforms to the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical progression that approaches the Golden Ratio and is an aspect of sacred geometry. It is a pattern found throughout nature on both a micro and macro scale. The golden spiral represents the perfection in nature and the interconnectedness of natural systems. The materials used in the work serve as a reminder of how we interact with nature.
Can you describe your creative process from concept to completion?
The initial idea for a work is often led by the materials. I collect found objects in the form of discarded agricultural implements. If you consider the notion of time being written onto the surface of these objects in the form of rust and damage caused through hard use, the objects become imbued with memory. I seek to harness those memories as a story telling device, to raise awareness of the impacts human activities have on the transformation of natural systems around us.
Where do you look for inspiration? What themes do you find most interesting?
I have a wide range of interests that inform my practice, including science and engineering, astronomy, music and the arts. I often read books or listen to podcasts on these subjects and more. Whatever rabbit hole my ADHD takes me down on a given day!
What role does location or environment play in your sculptures?
Often my works will be quite site-specific. When there is an intersection of research on local history that ties into the concept for a work it creates a stronger narrative. And local stories are a great way to address wider global issues.
How do you feel when you see people interacting with your sculptures?
I love to create art that is durable enough for people to touch and engage with. It’s great to see how people interact with a work, and to hear what it means to them. Art speaks to everyone differently and it’s fascinating to hear so many diverse interpretations of a piece!
Instagram @seanwilliams.sculpture
Facebook Sean Williams – Sculpture
Come and see for yourself at SWELL Sculpture Festival, Pacific Parade, Currumbin 6th – 15th September.