AFTER a couple of false starts during the covid outbreak, Canberra region’s biggest sculpture exhibition, “Sculpture@Shaw”, is up and running.

As Graeme Shaw, of Shaw Wines at Murrumbateman, points out, it’s not the first time they’ve had a go at exhibiting sculptures with a show in 2020 descending from “Sculpture in the Paddock”, which ran for several years at Cooma Cottage just outside Yass.

Shaw and his family were quick to jump at the opportunities presented by combining wines and outdoor sculpture, with the additional coincidence that Murrumbateman is home to many distinguished sculptors – David Jensz, Wendy Teakel, Michael Le Grand and Stephen Harrison, for instance.

I caught up with Shaw to canvas the recent history of the show. 

“YassArts decided not to keep going, as the venture got a bit bigger than they originally envisaged,” Shaw says. “We were keen to do it and looked around for a person or group of people who might help us.”

Then the Shaws discovered Belco Arts and its artistic director/co-CEO, Monika McInerny, herself a former judge at “Sculpture in the Paddock”.

“Belco Arts was an organisation that had experience and professional capabilities,” says Graeme. “And they had the experience to manage the process and do the selecting, the curating and the laying out of the sculptures… to us it was a great help being in association with a professional group.”

Then covid struck and “Sculpture@Shaw” was put off a few times, but now it’s all systems go for an opening in early March.

This time round, the focus will be on the large-scale sculptures and a few smaller ones around the cellar door, meaning that the former kids’ exhibition curated by Yass sculptor Al Phemister will not feature, as the new team looks at developing a national profile.

“Some fantastic pieces from around Australia have been selected,” Shaw says with satisfaction. 

“Pebble” by David Jensz.

“Big Blue” by Annette Matruglio.

“Imagining the Past Before it Happens” by Jan Cleveringa.

“Kraal” by Helen Macarthur.

And no wonder, with a $15,000 first prize and so-called “bursaries” of $1000 for each shortlisted entry to help with the installation and transport, it’s an attractive exhibition. 

Shaw says they’ve been deluged with some great entries that judges had to sift through, though it would’ve been nice to put them all in.

“I’m on the selection panel and it’s going to be interesting to see what happens on Friday,” he says. That’s March 4, when the final decisions are made, immediately before the exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, March 5. Obviously, the People’s Choice won’t be announced until the closing.

“I’m not the only sponsor; we’ve got $40,000 of finalist bursaries sponsored by The Fields at Murrumbateman, we’re doing the main prize of $15,000 and the People’s Choice of $5000, but we’ve also got $3000 Emerging Artist Prize sponsored by Abode Hotels,” he says. 

According to Shaw, the exhibiting field is a 16-hectare paddock, which is quite large, with good parking this time, a coffee cart and a muffin van. 

Although over the years they have had exhibitions in the shearing shed, they’re not planning any special adjunct exhibitions, as the sculpture show, normally in spring, comes right in the middle of the grape harvest.

“Sculpture@Shaw”, Shaw Wines, Murrumbateman, 10am, March 5-March 20. Information and tickets at shawwines.com.au