Celia Hammond (Curtin, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've spoken before about my deep admiration for art and artists, while also recognising my complete lack of artistic ability or creativity. The ability of artists to capture ideas, moods, feelings, people or places and then evoke responses from people is absolutely incredible. Whether it be in music, dance or literature, the way that we are challenged by those with creative souls is absolutely incredible. I was lucky once again this year that Sculpture by the Sea was run, for the 17th time, on the Cottesloe foreshore. It ran from 8 to 22 March, and there were 70 works of art from 13 countries, including—something I was most pleased about—34 artists from WA. There was a huge Kimberley-inspired giant boab tree on the beach. There was also an impressive eight-metre-high structural wave that came off the end of the rock jetty. One work that particularly resonated with me, which I saw in miniature before seeing down on the beach, was a piece called Tenants, and it was aluminium and steel wire, galvanised wire, aluminium wire, all twisted around. It was the artist's response to being locked down during COVID. It was an absolutely incredible piece. It captured that sense that we all went through last year of being near people but also distant from people.

Sculpture by the Sea is open to everybody in our community. As I said, it was the 17th time it was run this year. It has traditionally been and still is a free event. But because of restrictions in funding and decreases in funding across all levels of government and the Australia Council not refunding, Sculpture by the Sea last year and this year was actually asking people to donate money—$5 or $10—to go and visit the sculptures. People did do that. As it's only just finished, I'm yet to find out the exact sum that was raised. But I do hope that it's enough, because we want to keep Sculpture by the Sea in Western Australia. To David Hanley, the irrepressible founder and organiser, who was still assisting getting sculptures put in their spots the day before the exhibition opened, thank you. Congratulations to you again, David Hanley, to your board, and to all the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly every year for the benefit of our community in highlighting our amazing artists.