The 2025 SWELL Sculpture Festival is set to make waves again this month, as Australia’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition returns with more art, more space and more inspiration.
From 12 to 21 September, the festival will transform Currumbin Beach on the Gold Coast with a record number of artworks stretching across an extended 1.2km coastal trail.
Artist Spotlight: Russell Solomon
Among the exhibiting artists is Moreton Bay resident Russell Solomon, who has lived on the Redcliffe peninsula for more than 20 years. His sculpture, Anthropocene Plastics: The Final Extinction Event, was inspired by the discovery of a mature female sea turtle on Suttons Beach that had died from plastic ingestion.
“In 2024, a study was released stating that juvenile turtles were dying at an alarming rate from plastic pollution ingestion,” Russell said. “This motivated me to open the conversation around the part we play in this issue. Since my language is sculpture, I have chosen to represent the iconic scene of baby hatchlings embarking on the perilous journey of life.”
Russell’s piece is constructed from recycled copper cable wire (to represent turtle hatchlings) and recycled milk bottle plastics (representing eggs).
Over the years, his art has been exhibited at Redcliffe Art Gallery, Redcliffe Art Society, Sandgate Art Society, and in various solo and group shows. This year marks his sixth appearance at the SWELL Sculpture Festival, with his work being one of over 80 artworks created by 230 artists lining the foreshore from Currumbin Alley to Kropp Park.
SWELL Sculpture Festival Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Natasha Edwards, said this year’s trail extension was a natural evolution for the exhibition.
“Our artists and collaborators are bringing their unique ideas to life in this beautiful part of the world, and it’s an incredible opportunity to see their work against such a stunning backdrop,” she said.
In addition to the main sculpture display, the free 10-day festival includes a wide range of activities through its SWELL Fringe, SWELL Kids Elements, SWELL Wellness, and SWELL Smalls Gallery programs. The schedule includes guided art walks, live music, food events, artist talks, panels, workshops, masterclasses, circus performances, and a silent disco.
Find out more information about the festival here.
SWELL Sculpture Festival 2025
- 12-21 September
- Currumbin Beach
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Featured image: Alex Seton The Golden Calf (2018) | Image by Leximagery
