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Details
- Other Title
- Brother and sister
- Date
- 1999
- Media category
- Sculpture
- Materials used
- Lycra tulle, polystyrene
- Dimensions
- 110.0 x 130.0 x 70.0 cm overall approx.
- Signature & date
Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Gift of Geoff and Vicki Ainsworth 2001
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 333.2001
- Copyright
- © Ernesto Neto
- Artist information
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Ernesto Neto
Works in the collection
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About
Neto is amongst a group of artists who emerged in the 1990s in Brazil. Influenced by Brazilian Neo-concretism his work is strongly attached to the body and the senses and although mainly abstract in form, the sculptures have organic qualities.
These two large, voluptuous 'Sonambulinos', which is Portuguese for ‘little sleepwalkers’ are part of the artist’s series of ‘ovaloids’ which are a group of soft sculptures that invite the viewer to hug and interact with them. This is a pair of sacks tied at the top by what could only be an umbilical cord except for the belly-button holes in their anatomy. The cord ties them together as mother and child or as brothers. Although abstract in their essence, their almost bodily shapes and the lycra they are made from are very appealing to the senses and make them seem like they would move when no body’s watching. (EF)
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Exhibition history
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Orifice, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, South Bank, 08 Oct 2003–30 Nov 2003
Soft Sculpture, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 24 Apr 2009–19 Jul 2009
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Bibliography
Referenced in 2 publications
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Anthony Bond, Contemporary: Art Gallery of New South Wales Contemporary Collection, 'Objects and associations', pg.332-381, Sydney, 2006, back cover (colour illus.), 358 (colour illus.). reproduction on back cover is a detail
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Lucina Ward, Soft sculpture, 'SOFT sculpture, modernity, minimalism and the body', pg.5-25, Canberra, 2009, 22, 23 (colour illus.).
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