Tom Bass (sculptor)
| Tom Bass | |
|---|---|
| Born |
6 June 1916 Lithgow, New South Wales |
| Died | 26 February 2010 (aged 93) |
| Nationality |
 Australian
|
| Education | Dattilo Rubbo Art School, National Art School |
| Known for | Sculpture |
| Awards | AM (Member in the Order of Australia) |
Thomas Dwyer Bass AM (6 June 1916 – 26 February 2010) was a renowned Australian sculptor. Born in Lithgow, New South Wales on 6 June 1916, he studied at the Dattilo Rubbo Art School and the National Art School and established the Tom Bass Sculpture School in Sydney in 1974. In 1988, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to sculpture. In 2009, he was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Visual Arts (honoris causa) at the University of Sydney.
A retrospective of his work, spanning 60 years, was exhibited at the Sydney Opera House between 9 November and 17 December 2006.
After graduating from the National Art School, Tom Bass developed his philosophy of working as a sculptor as being the maker of totemic forms and emblems, that is, work expressing ideas of particular significance to communities or to society at large. Examples of his work include The Trial of Socrates and The Idea of a University at Wilson Hall, Melbourne University; The falconer on Main Building at UNSW, representing the conflict between beauty and the intellect; The winged figure of Ethos in Civic Square, Canberra, representing the spirit of the community and the Lintel Sculpture at the National Library, Canberra, representing the idea of Library. Over a twenty-five-year period this remained virtually the single focus of his work as he became the most sought after public sculptor in Australia. He is represented all over Australia and also overseas.
Whilst engaged with his public sculptures Tom Bass remained largely on the periphery of the evolving art scene in post world war II Australia. His contribution to art often went unacknowledged as the focus for artists evolved around the ever growing gallery and art market scene. Art as commodity was never Bass's reason for making sculpture. During the 50's and 60's Bass "..was the only Australian sculptor who understood the importance of bringing art to the widest possible audience. ...With every major commission Bass aimed to push the boundaries of public taste, giving his audience a lesson in the visual language of modernism."
1962-63 Copper 107x800x55cm Commissioned by P&O Orient Lines of Australia P/L in 1961, 55 Hunter Street, Sydney. Designed as a purely abstract wall fountain this sculpture did not symbolize any particular aspect of the P&O Company. Bass's P & O Wall Fountain caused considerable controversy when it was completed in 1963. When the work was unveiled its indirect resemblance to a Parisian pissoir and its position opposite the French Airline Office, provoked a witty comment in the sixth edition of Oz magazine (1964) about the City's latest status symbol as a convenience for the people of Sydney and as a welcoming sign to French travellers and while there is a small charge you don't have to pay immediately you can P&O: pee and owe. With it they published a renowned satirical photograph which showed the fountain apparently being used as a urinal, with a caption which read "Pictured is a trio of Sydney natives P. & O.'ing in the Bass urinal" For this and other supposed offences the editors of the magazine, Richard Neville, Richard Walsh and Martin Sharp were charged, tried and sentenced to jail with hard labour for "obscenity and encouraging public urination"., although the defendants subsequently appealed against the sentences, which were revoked. In the trial Tom Bass appeared in their defense. Although the building is no longer owned by P&O, the work maintains an iconic presence in Sydney.
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