Tombs of thought

Brook Andrew’s sculptures play with the forms and functions of museum cases, reflecting the artist’s ongoing exploration and subversion of museum display conventions, such as the labelling of objects. His sculptures Tombs of thought: metal and Tombs of thought:fire host a group of works on paper and sculptures by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840–1915).

These works are presented alongside pen and ink drawings by Australian artists Judy Cassab and Barbara Tribe and photographs by American photographer Edward Steichen, English photographer Lewis Morley and Australian photographer Max Dupain, all of whom observed, copied, sketched and photographed Rodin’s sculptures.

Faithful to Andrew’s interests, this installation considers the ideas of observation and memory, both individual and collective, and the way objects are infused with their own stories. Rodin is indisputably one of the greatest sculptors of modern times. His bronze sculptures often convey intense human feelings such as love, ecstasy, agony or grief, which have spoken to and continue to influence generations of artists’ imagination.