Moseholm in Australia
Keld Moseholm has developed a special relationship to Australia through his participation in the great
exhibition Sculpture by the Sea – and it has lead to
- The Friendship Society of Denmark, Australia and New Zealand deciding that a sculpture made by Keld Moseholm should be their gift to Tumbarumba in Snowy Valley, New South Wales, which was hit by violent fires in 2019 to 2020.
- More of Keld Moseholm ́s sculptures are placed in Australia. One of them ”Mirroring” is placed very prominently in The Botanic Garden in Sydney, close to the danish architect Jørn Utzon ́s Opera House. ”Mirroring” caused quite a sensation in Australia when it was awarded the main prize at Sculpture by the Sea in 2010.
- The Friendship Society of Denmark, Australia and New Zealand has awarded Keld Moseholm a
speciel art prize when he – in October 2023, shortly after his death– exhibited the sculpture ”Square Root” at Sculpture by the Sea.
The Organisation behind Sculpture by the Sea has invited Keld Moseholm ́s wife Bente to come and
receive the prize, and Bente went there together with her daugther Annette Moseholm Scheel.
They had great experiences on their trip to several locations where Keld Moseholm ́s sculptures are
placed. They saw amongst others the sculpture ”Together we are strong” and ”The Kiss”. They also
visited Canberra where they saw ”On the Staircase” in Gorman Art Center together with Pernille Kardel,
Denmark ́s ambassador to Australia.
”Square Root” will not come back to Denmark. It was purchased by an Australian art collector on the
opening day. Maybe it was not unexpected as Moseholm has been a very popular artist down under. All
his sculptures over the years – except for a few – have been sold during the exhibitions.
Participated for the first time in "Sculpture by the Sea" in 1999
Keld Moseholm participated for the first time in "Sculpture by the Sea" in 1999.
They have been fantastic years with many exciting exhibitions on the beach in Bondi, Sydney and in Cottesloe, Perth, and also several exhibitions from 2009 in Aarhus, he says.
It was the Danish Crown Prince and his wife who had the idea for a Danish "Sculpture by the Sea," and they themselves have largely helped to promote the exhibition and the artists.
The Danes welcomed the initiative - 600,000 visited in the first year - and I know many Danes want the exhibition to be shown in Denmark again, says Keld Moseholm. He has become friends with some of the participating artists and the people behind the exhibitions, who have always been "enthusiastic and dedicated", as Moseholm says.
Art-loving Australians have also made sure to introduce Moseholm's art to people other than the visitors to "Sculpture by the Sea": They have bought and installed "On the staircase" in Canberra, "Catch me" in Frankston near Melbourne and "Mirroring" in the Botanic Garden in Sydney – a very beautiful area quite close to Jørn Utzon's world-famous opera house. "Mirroring" caused quite a stir in Australia when it won the main prize at the exhibition in 2010.
Moseholm has been involved since he applied in 1999 to be among the 110 selected artists from around the world, and he himself believes that winning the main prize was one of the highlights of his career.
I am really proud to have my sculptures placed there. I am happy that my things are seen and appreciated, said Keld Moseholm in an interview in 2011 in the newspaper Fyens Stiftstidende
Portrayed in Sculpture by the Sea's anniversary book
Keld Moseholm is one of the artists portrayed in Sculpture by the Sea's anniversary book from 2022.
The anniversary marked the fact that in 2022 the 50th exhibition had been held for a total of 23 years in Denmark and Australia.
Keld Moseholm has written a small contribution about the exhibitions that took place in Australia and here in Denmark on the beach in Risskov near Aarhus under the patronage of the Danish Crown Prince and his Australian wife, who took the initiative to bring the exhibition to Denmark.
Keld Moseholm writes, among other things: "Throughout these 23 years, exhibiting at Sculpture by the Sea in Australia has been an ongoing and exciting challenge in my artistic career. My experience is that Sculpture by the Sea is an increasingly important part of the international sculpture scene.”