The Invited Artists of SWELL Sculpture Festival 2024
Invited artists bringing innovation and inspiration to SWELL
JUAN PABLO PINTO & CRISTIAN ROJAS
NSW
THE HERMITAGE
This giant, slightly crushed tin can washed up on a rock shelf conflates the idea of the vessel as a squat for a homeless creature (crab or human) with that of an exclusive beach-front pad marketed by shameless real estate sharks.
The Hermitage is a visual paradox, an exploration of vast differences in people’s expectations of what it means to have a roof over one’s head.
Amid Australia’s housing crisis, pretentious and bloviated descriptions of prestige homes must read obscene to the many who struggle to find the most basic housing.
More about Juan Pablo Pinto & Cristian Rojas
Sydney-based collaborators Juan-Pablo Pinto and Cristian Rojas were both born in Chile and arrived in Australia through different paths to continue their architecture careers. Cristian joined Cox Architecture, and Juan Pablo co-founded Sydney-based art and architecture collective Cave Urban. They later started teaching at different Universities, including USys, UTS, and UNSW UTas.
Their architectural background largely influences their artistic work. The scale, the relation to space and place, and the inclusion of the viewer as the element that completes the work are present in all their exhibitions.
Their friendship dates back to 2010 and slowly turned into a creative collaboration. Having been working together since 2019, they first came to public attention in 2022 when their sculpture “Selfish” was awarded the Transfield Australian Invited Artist award. Since then, the duo has continued to create large-scale site-specific works that engage with the natural landscape through scale, materiality, and cultural objects or stereotypes.
In 2023, a sculpture of a giant tin can perched on the cliffs of Tamarama put the housing affordability crisis on the table through a humorous critique of the Australian housing market.
The artwork, titled “The Hermitage,” drew a lot of attention as it resonated with the public and ultimately won the Allen’s People’s Choice award.
Together, Pinto and Rojas blend their architectural skills with visual art, creating works that connect with the audience with both humour and depth. Their sculptures are keen observations on contemporary issues. Their collaborative efforts seek to enrich the cultural landscape, bridging the gap between art and architecture in innovative and engaging ways.
Joint exhibitions include Sculpture by the Sea Bondi 2022, 2023 – People’s Choice Award.
Juan Pablo’s exhibitions include Biennale of Sydney 2022, Dark Mofo, Hobart 2015 and Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, seven times since 2011. Awards include Waverley Council Mayor’s Prize and People’s Choice Award, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2012, People’s Choice Award and Mostyn Ephemeral Art Subsidy, Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2013.
Instagram @juanpablopintomeza @cnrojas
Website www.juan-pablo.com www.c-rojas.com
THE INVITED ARTIST SERIES IS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY EXPERIENCE GOLD COAST
IMAGE: Courtesy of the artists