Bronwyn Oliver’s sculpture breaks records

Australian auction records broken by Bronwyn Oliver’s sculpture Tide

• Australian sculpture record: $1.25 million

• Previous record holder: Joel Elenberg’s “Mask 1” (1982) – $1,156,250

Other notable sales at the auction

• Brett Whiteley’s “Dove in Blue Palm, Lavender Bay” (1983): $2.75 million

• Deborah Halpern and Mackenzie Thorpe: world records for their sculptures

Auction house Smith & Singer had billed the work as the most valuable Australian sculpture ever offered for auction in Australia. It was sold as part of a sale of important Australian works, a star lot alongside Brett Whiteley’s “Dove in Blue Palm, Lavender Bay” (1983), which sold for $2.75 million (with buyer’s premium), above its estimate of between $1.6 million and $1.9 million.

Earlier this year, another work by Oliver, “Sun” (2004), sold for $875,000, a record for the artist. This sale is an indication that there is an increased awareness of sculpture as an art form in and around the home environment.

John Keats, chief executive of Menzies, said his auction house had been championing sculptures at auction for several years and achieving some outstanding results and records. These included Australian auction records for overseas sculptors Robert Indiana and Manolo Valdés, and world records for Deborah Halpern and Mackenzie Thorpe.

Bronwyn Oliver remained one of the most influential and sought-after Australian artists in the current market. The Oliver had been held by the same collector for 25 years. Renowned for her fluid metal works, made of trademark copper mesh, the artist is thought to have created almost 300 works before her death by suicide in 2006.

“Oliver’s untimely death at the age of 47, combined with the restricted output of her work due to its complex and time-consuming production, has resulted in demand far outstripping supply,” Smith said. “Oliver’s work was avidly collected during her lifetime, and there was always a long waiting list for works.”