Name Bert Flugelman | Education National Art School | |
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Died February 26, 2013, Bowral, Australia | ||
Bert flugelman federation arch
Herbert 'Bert' Flugelman (1923 – 26 February 2013) was a prominent Australian visual artist who had many of his works publicly displayed. He is known for his stainless steel geometric sculptures.
Contents
- Bert flugelman federation arch
- Dobell Memorial Sculpture by Bert Flugelman
- Biography
- List of works
- References
Dobell Memorial Sculpture by Bert Flugelman
Biography
Flugelman was born in Vienna, Austria in 1923 and migrated to Australia in 1938 when he was 15 years old. It was on the eve of World War II. From 1943 to 1946 Flugelman served in the Australian army (non combative duties) and from 1948 to 1951 he studied at the National Art School in Sydney.
From 1951 to 1955 he travelled to Europe including a visit in 1954 to Spain with his artist friend John Copnall. In 1952 he contracted polio which left him with a mobility disability. However, this did not stop him holding several successful exhibitions at the Piccadilly Gallery in London and the Barone Gallery in New York before returning to Australia in 1955.
From 1972 to 1983, Flugelman was a lecturer at the South Australian School of Art, and subsequently became Head of Sculpture. During this period he completed some of his most famous work, in particular Festival Sculpture 1974, Spheres 1977 and Cones at the National Gallery of Australia in 1982.
From 1984 to 1990, Flugelman was Senior Lecturer and Fellow at the School of Creative Arts, University of Wollongong. In 1991 he was made Professorial Fellow at the University of Wollongong. In 1995, he received an honorary Doctorate of Creative Art (Honoris Causa) and in 1997, he received the Australia Council, Visual Arts/Craft Fund, Emeritus Award.
Flugelman's career has not been without controversy such as when he created the chainsaw carving of Margaret Thatcher and "The Silver Shish Kebab" placed in Martin Place, Sydney which was heavily criticised by Sydney's Lord Mayor Frank Sartor that led to the sculpture being moved to Spring Street.
In 2008, a hard-bound survey of his post-1968 sculptures, primarily his stainless-steel work, was published by The Watermark Press. It was written by Emeritus Professor Peter Pinson (whose Sydney art gallery represented Flugelman), with photography by David Perry. The book was designed by Harry Williamson.
At the time of his death in February 2013, Flugelman resided at Bowral on the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.
List of works
The following is a partial list of the Flugelman's completed works. It includes the location of the publicly displayed pieces mentioned.