In Guy Davenport's short story Dinner at the Bank of England, one character's opinion that 'Existence is painful' is quickly deflected by "Do try the walnuts. They're excellent." The kernel of the idea for this sculpture was to turn this conversation into the utterance of one speaker alone. By grasping and enjoying the small things in life - the excellent walnuts, the little rays of sunshine - we can lessen the indifference of being, through a shared experience of black and knowing humour.
wood, Perspex, painted plastic lettering, walnuts
23 x 39 x 12 cm
Finalist
Judges of the 2012 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize: Guido Belgiorno-Nettis AM (Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW and Director of the Transfield Foundation), Natalie Wilson (Assistant Curator of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of NSW) and Professor Janice Reid AM (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney and Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW).
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