Axia Modern Art: Transmetropole

Jane VALENTINE

Return to Beauty

5 - 30 August 2010

Return to Beauty 2010, Italian Statuario Marble from Carrara, stainless steel base, 136 x 54 x 143 cm; base 50 x 75 x 155 cm
Wings of Victory 2010, Italian Statuario marble from Carrara, black granite base, 16 x 50 x 120 cm; base 48 x 61 x 136 cm
Fragile #1 2010, Italian Statuario marble from Carrara, black granite base, 97.5 x 18 x 100 cm; base 80 x 35 x 45 cm
Fragile #2 2010, Italian Statuario marble from Carrara, black granite base, 97.5 x 18 x 100 cm; base 80 x 35 x 45 cm
Resonance 2010, Italian Statuario marble from Carrara, black granite base, 110 x 110 x 31 cm; bases 12 x 38 x 110 cm
Shelter #1, #2 & #3 2010, Italian Arabescato marble from Carrara, black granite base, 130 x 101 x 38 cm, base 10 x 53 x 130 cm (#1); 92 x 78 x 27 cm, base 10 x 44 x 130 cm (#2); 70 x 60 x 21 cm, base 10 x 38 x 130 cm (#3)
Origins 2009, Italian Statuario marble from Carrara, Western Mall Entrance of Chadstone Shopping Centre
Origins 2009, Italian Statuario marble from Carrara, Western Mall Entrance of Chadstone Shopping Centre

About the Exhibition

Prolific Australian sculptor Jane Valentine is showing her next exhibition of marble sculptures in August. 'Return to Beauty' will be presented by Australian Art Resources and held at Axia Modern Art Gallery.

Jane Valentine developed a strong passion for marble during her time spent in the sculpting village of Pietrasanta, situated at the base of the marble rich Carrara Mountains in Northern Italy. This town has long enjoyed the patronage of artists and today the streets of Pietrasanta are lined with sculptural pieces from many of the big names of the artistic world.

Since the 15th Century, Pietrasanta has not only grown in importance due to its connection with marble, but today still sits at the cutting edge of artistic practice. During her time there Jane explored a strong and individual style of art making. Her marble forms survey classical simplicity and the purity of form. Much like the later works of Romanian sculptor, Constantin Brancusi, her structures and vessels are abstracted and embrace various aspects of the natural world. Her aesthetic resonates with the essential elements of sculpture and its traditions to reveal the clarity of the material and its form.

Jane has always worked in a variety of marble Statuario, Carrara, Arabescato, Belgium, Vietnamese, black Marquina and is constantly adopting traditional methods in her exploration of these materials. Today Jane continues to value the region of Carrara and from it has produced some of the most exquisite sculptural works ever seen in Australia.

Simple to look at, smooth, natural and fluid her three dimensional forms of beauty are now being created across several continents. Jane currently works between the countries of Italy, Egypt, China and Australia and the sculptures to be shown as part of 'Return to Beauty' reflect the cultural diversity of these vastly different regions.

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Sydney, NSW, Jane Valentine completed a Diploma of Visual Arts from Seaforth TAFE in 1988 followed by a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Sydney College of the Arts in 1990. In 1992 she was granted a scholarship to Florence, Italy for her Honours year at the Studio Art Centre International. At the completion of her studies Valentine moved to the sculpting village of Pietrasanta, at the base of the Carrara Mountains, Northern Italy where she lived for the next seven years. Valentine is based in Queensland and continues to work in Italy, Egypt, China and Australia.

Jane has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout Australia and in Italy. She has received several commissions for her work including three major Statuario marble works for Chadstone Shopping Centre in 2009. Valentine represented Australia at the 1999 International Sculpture Symposium in Changchun, China and her work is on permanent display at the Changchun International Sculpture Park.

Jane Valentine's work is represented in several public and corporate collections including The Art Trust, the Gandel Collection, 151 Macquarie Street, Morgan Stanley Chifley Tower, Sydney, the Retail Employers Superannuation Trust, and in private collections nationally and internationally.