Sabine Hawkins
Sabine's exhibition "Unwearable Art", life-size wooden icon coats is on display in the gallery from 2 - 22 February 2008.
The 12 coats are the result of 7 years work for the German born artist.
The pieces are all wall mounted wooden sculptures, constructed from various materials such as reclaimed wood, jigsaw pieces, barbed wire, tassels and beads, painted and collaged.
Sabine describes them as "the most precious offering I can give". The coats are all unique with the images portrayed in different ways, - pleating to represent the stories unfolding, jigsaw pieces to convey the idea of fragile beliefs and moveable doors like traditional altarpieces to reveal or conceal images.
Originally from Germany, Sabine arrived in Australia in the 1970's and trained with William Robinson, Roy Churcher, Errol Barnes and Merv Muelling. (a veritable who's who of Australian Art). Since graduating 27 years ago, Sabine has been teaching up to 60 students per week in her Ashgrove studio while producing her experimental art in 2 and 3 dimensions.
Now for the first time Sabine is revealing her own unique body of work she has been creating for the past 7 years. These are extremely personal yet universal works about "our fragile faith" - the mantle of beauty and ceremony. Sabine has expressed the wish that these works find a home in ordinary domestic interiors where they will become as familiar as a real coat hanging on a nail.
The Pilgrim's Coat $4,000
"Under the Sycamore Tree" - a panel coat $3,700
The Golden Buttoned Up Coat by Sabine Hawkins $6,000
An Artist's Shirt $3,500
The Iconostasis Mantle $6,000
A Wrap -Around Kimono $5,500
A Shirt so Fragile and Puzzling $3,5000