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MAKIGAWA Akio

(Japan, Australia 1948–1999)

Title

Garden of Desire V

Year

1995

Media category

Sculpture

Materials used

Mexican onyx with bronze and water

Dimensions

Installation dimensions variable according to room size:

a-h - Eight plinths; 95cm

i-p - Eight bronze water vessels; 13.5cm

i-p - Eight bronze water vessels; 27.9cm

Signature & date

Not signed. Not dated.

Credit

Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales 1998

Accession number

346.1998.a-p

Location

Not on display

Further information

The water-filled bowls suggest the tranquility of a Japanese garden; the colours of the onyx pillars suggest the red earth and grey-green eucalypts of Australia. 'Garden of Desire V' was conceived and created in the marble mountains of Carrara in Italy where Japanese/Australian artist Akio Makigawa worked from time to time.

Born and brought up in Japan, Makigawa came to Australia in the 1970s. He studied art at Curtin University in Perth and at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. While his craft was learned in Australia, his work retains an essential association with Shinto spirituality, and nowhere is it more evident than in this sculpture.

Bibliography (8)

Prue Allen, Look Oct 1999, 'Message from the President of the Art Gallery Society', pg. 6, South Yarra, Oct 1999, 6.

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 1999 1999, 'Director's Introduction', pg. 5-7, Domain, 1999, 6, 7 (colour illus.), 21.

Anthony Bond, Transit Aug 1998, Sydney, Aug 1998. no catalogue numbers

Edmund Capon, Look Apr 2000, 'Welcome to the Art Gallery of New South Wales', pg.11-12, South Yarra, Apr 2000, 12 (colour illus.).

Paul McGillick., The Australian financial review 24 May 1998, 'Beautiful collision', Sydney, 24 May 1998.

Jane Somerville, Look Oct 2005, 'Looking back: celebrating 20 years of words and images for Society members', pg.10-11, Newtown, Oct 2005, 10 (colour illus.). illustration is a detail

Judith White (Editor), Look Dec 1999-Jan 2000, 'Society Acquisitions: A year of gifts to the Gallery', pg. 16, South Yarra, Dec 1999-Jan 2000, 16 [colour illus.].

Judith Wright, Look Mar 1999, 'A bridge to Asia', pg. 14, Sydney, Mar 1999, 14 (colour illus.).

Exhibition history (2)

Akio Makigawa: The Garden of Desire, Chifley Plaza, Sydney, 15 May 1996–01 Jun 1996

Transit, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 12 Aug 1998–13 Sep 1998