39. PHILLIP PIPERIDES

Cypriot-born artist Phillip Piperides was born into a family of potters with a long history of working with clay. From a young age, Piperides familiarised himself with the medium, a family tradition which his father had passed down to him. Through the medium of clay, a world of opportunity was opened up to the young man and the motivation to be an artist began.

The family migrated from Cyprus to Australia in 1978 where Piperides continued to educate himself through classes with the Russian-born sculptor George Virine. In the early 1980s, Piperides decided to revisit Europe to further develop his skills in sculpture. Here, he worked as an assistant for the Greek sculptor, Vangilis Moustakas, where he worked with marble and bronze. From here, Piperides went to many learn the many facets of bronze casting at the Dimitri Gavallas Foundry. In 1984, motivated to further explore the European tradition of sculpture, Piperides spent time in the artisan town of Pietrasanta in Italy, known for its marble and bronze workshops.

Piperides talent was recognised when he was awarded the Churchill Fellowship, which provides opportunities for Australians to travel overseas to conduct research in their chosen field that is not readily available in Australia. This allowed the artist to travel to Canada, the United States and England to further his knowledge in monumental castings. Through his fellowship experience, he was able to bring the knowledge and skills back to Australia to share with other young artists. It was this experience which motivated Piperides to establish the first bronze foundry in Brisbane, the Perides Art Foundry, in 1984.

Gina in Pose is a unique hand-crafted work which has been created from a single piece of Carrara marble. Piperides mastery of the medium is demonstrated in the detail and craftsmanship on display in this work. The figures fine details are highlighted by the translucency of the marble it is evident that this work is of the highest quality.

Phillip Piperides is recognised in Australia and internationally as a master craftsman and he has completed numerous significant private and public commissions, including Investwell Holdings in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; The Peter Lacey Foundation, Gold Coast; Lamington National Park, Queensland; the Australian Coat of Arms at the Australian High Commission, Brisbane; Royal Brisbane Hospital Medical School, Queensland; Commonwealth Law Courts, Brisbane; Bowen Creek Community Centre, Queensland; Brisbane City Council Crest, Brisbane; Queensland Police Department, Brisbane; Mount Isa Mines Building, Brisbane; Sheraton Mirage Hotel, Gold Coast; Queen Street Mall, Brisbane (since relocated to the Royal Womens and Childrens Hospital Brisbane).

Caroline Jones MArtAdmin