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305:) in 1956 for 61 Macquarie Street. In 1999, with the assistance of Mirvac, the sculpture was relocated to the north wall of Quay Grand Suites, adjacent to the Moore Steps, Sydney. It is a sculptural tribute to industry and scientific research. The crucible, held up by five figures, is the vessel in which the raw materials are synthesized. Each figure represent an agent of change to process those materials: electricity, radiation, chemical changes, heat and mechanical forces. The agents dip into the crucible to achieve change. The star represents the sun, a source of energy and transformation. The final product rises out of the crucible in the form of the ICI symbol.
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late 2005. The AGC sculpture is an emblem inspired by the corporate and financial transactions in what was then known as the hire purchase system. It takes the form of a mechanical corporate tree in which the branches symbolize the various interests of AGC, as it existed in 1962. The two top branches represent the dominant lending arm and the supporting arm is insurance. These branches support a wheel that symbolizes the automobile which was the first reason for hire purchase. At the base, there are two protective arms, similar to tree roots that signify the importance of security and stability.
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wanted under that system. So he conceived the idea of setting up an independent school of sculpture. He began a long search to find an appropriate place for the school. This culminated in the warehouse above
Broadway, a space which had been occupied by goldsmiths ever since its completion in 1911. He spent a year cleaning the space and preparing it for classes and in 1974 classes began in the studio.
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never Bass's reason for making sculpture. During the 50s and 60s 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."
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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: "there is a nominal charge, of course, but don't worry, there is no need to pay immediately. Just P. & O." (pee and owe). With it they published a renowned
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Commissioned by AGC (Australian
Guarantee Corporation) Australia in 1962 for AGC House, 126 Phillip Street, Sydney When the original building was completely demolished in 2002, the work was salvaged, restored and reinstalled by Investa Property Group into the Foster and Partners designed building in
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While engaged with his public sculptures, Bass remained largely on the periphery of the evolving art scene in post-Second World War
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
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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 defence. Although the building is no longer owned by P&O,
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After an intense career as a public sculptor, Bass felt that sculpture as a medium of social communication was losing its relevance. He went through a period of life review and went back to teach at the
National Art School. He soon decided that it was not possible for him to teach in the way he
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Originally exhibited in Bass's first solo exhibition at the Sydney David Jones
Gallery in 1980, the work reappeared in public at Martin Place for Sculpture in the City 2001 as part of Art About. Through their various poses, Bass plays with the illusion that all the entwining female figures are
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the work maintains an iconic presence in Sydney. The building was demolished in
December 2017 for the construction of the entrance to the Martin Place Sydney Metro station 23 metres below street level, and the wall fountain will be reinstalled into the public space of the replacement building.
279:. The AMP emblem (logo) signifies the value of insurance in our daily family life. Redesigned by Bass for the iconic Sydney Cove building, the central figure represents the Goddess of Plenty who watches over the family figures represented by a mother, father and child, reflecting AMP's motto:
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Designed as a purely abstract wall fountain, this sculpture did not symbolize any particular aspect of the P&O Company. Bass's sculpture caused considerable controversy when it was completed in 1963. When the work was unveiled, its indirect resemblance to a
Parisian
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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,
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1962–63, Copper 107×800×55 cm, commissioned by P&O Orient Lines of
Australia P/L in 1961, 55 Hunter Street, Sydney.
135:(AM) for services to sculpture. In 2009, he was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Visual Arts (honoris causa) at the
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The school moved from
Broadway to Erskineville in 1998, where it continues to run sculpture classes today.
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No. 6, February 1963. Modern Times: The untold story of Modernism in Australia, 2008, The Miegunyah Press
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131:. He established the Tom Bass Sculpture School in Sydney in 1974. In 1988, he was made a Member of the
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and its position opposite the French Airline office provoked a witty comment in the sixth edition of
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physically different. In fact, the two outward figures were cast as exact copies.
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111:(6 June 1916 – 26 February 2010) was a renowned Australian sculptor. Born in
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express sheer joy and exuberance equalled by Bass's admiration of the
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A retrospective of his work, spanning 60 years, was exhibited at the
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P&O wall fountain, copper, P&O building, Hunter St,
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Art School and the National Art School. Bass served in the
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Commissioned by Australia Mutual Providence in 1960 for
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767:. Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School. Archived from
671:. Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School. Archived from
419:AGC sculpture, copper. AGC House, Sydney, 1962–63
391:, copper, The University of Melbourne, 1954–59.
76:Dattilo Rubbo Art School, National Art School
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631:"Bass, Dr Thomas Dwyer (Tom) AM". Notices.
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719:Sandy roadshow heads west. John McDonald.
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864:Australian Army personnel of World War II
146:between 9 November and 17 December 2006.
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607:List of public art in the City of Sydney
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397:, copper. ICI Building, Sydney, 1956–59
425:, bronze, CML building, Elizabeth St,
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854:People from Lithgow, New South Wales
285:(a true friend in uncertain times).
721:The Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum
412:AMP Emblem, copper, AMP building,
366:UNSW Art Collection Sculpture Walk
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839:Members of the Order of Australia
834:20th-century Australian sculptors
459:Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne
312:(Variations I, II & III 1980)
819:Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School
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334:Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School
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121:Second Australian Imperial Force
95:Member of the Order of Australia
250:1963, Copper 335.3×152.4×38 cm
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723:. 13–14 March 2010, pp. 14–15
557:National Library of Australia
445:National Library of Australia
176:University of New South Wales
303:Imperial Chemical Industries
647:"Top Sculptor dies aged 94"
379:, reconstituted stone, The
282:Amicus certus in re incerta
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859:National Art School alumni
297:1959, Copper 686×206×35 cm
267:1962, Copper 451×424×40 cm
154:After graduating from the
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633:The Sydney Morning Herald
439:Lintel sculpture, copper
354:, sandstone, main gates,
869:Australian Army soldiers
695:"Tom Bass Retrospective"
405:, copper, Civic Square,
377:The Idea of a University
164:The Idea of a University
127:, rising to the rank of
113:Lithgow, New South Wales
45:Lithgow, New South Wales
381:University of Melbourne
207:P & O Wall fountain
199:P & O Wall fountain
518:, Circular Quay (east)
469:Cricket Captains' Walk
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180:Civic Square, Canberra
490:The Trial of Socrates
388:The Trial of Socrates
317:Bronze, 80×250×240 cm
301:Commissioned by ICI (
277:Alfred Street, Sydney
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160:The Trial of Socrates
669:"Biographical Notes"
356:University of Sydney
174:on Main Building at
168:Melbourne University
137:University of Sydney
115:, he studied at the
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750:Stephen, A. (ed.).
675:on 14 November 2007
156:National Art School
16:Australian sculptor
701:. 21 November 2006
571:Tom Bass signature
328:Sydney Opera House
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144:Sydney Opera House
133:Order of Australia
103:Thomas Dwyer Bass
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58:(2010-02-26)
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849:2010 deaths
844:1916 births
473:Cootamundra
465:Don Bradman
352:The Student
324:The Sisters
310:The Sisters
150:Totem maker
123:during the
65:Nationality
47:, Australia
41:6 June 1916
828:Categories
740:title page
613:References
503:AMP Emblem
457:, bronze,
441:bas-relief
409:, 1959–61.
383:, 1954–59.
68:Australian
37:1916-06-06
595:The Genie
455:The Genii
427:Melbourne
85:Sculpture
73:Education
775:28 March
705:28 March
679:28 March
601:See also
516:Research
467:bust in
449:Canberra
407:Canberra
395:Research
290:Research
129:sergeant
25:Tom Bass
653:1 March
461:, 1973.
436:, 1963.
429:, 1963.
358:, 1953.
219:pissoir
736:, 1964
559:(1968)
434:Sydney
416:, 1962
414:Sydney
91:Awards
531:Ethos
402:Ethos
275:, 33
777:2008
707:2008
681:2008
655:2010
236:and
162:and
53:Died
31:Born
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224:OZ
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108:AM
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