Graham Bennett
Education: University of Canterbury, School of Fine Arts
Graham Bennett, born in Nelson, is Christchurch based.
The power of Bennett's work and art practice is that it underscores the importance of research, reflection, revision, and taking action that respects both physical and social environments when setting up a vision for the future. His work involves observing, questioning, exploring, navigating, measuring, direction seeking, and, when alluding to the precarious health of the globe, it reinforces that issues may be global, but solutions are personal. His versatility and fascination with scale sees his ideas realised on an intimate medal or jewellery scale through to towering public works.
The most well-known commissioned work is the gateway sculpture “Reasons for Voyaging” at the entrance of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. Large-scale public sculpture locations include 4 in Christchurch , Lincoln University, NZ’s foremost sculpture parks: Gibbs’ Farm Kaipara, Connells Bay Sculpture Park, Brick Bay Sculpture Trail, TaiTapu Sculpture Garden; Taupo, Waiheke Island, Kurashiki Japan, and Seoul South Korea. The recipient of several awards and commissions Bennett has exhibited widely in NZ for five decades; solo shows include 11 in Japan, others in Hong Kong and Australia. He has been included in innumerable national and international group exhibitions and was selected for residencies in NZ, Japan and Korea.
