Augustine Dall'Ava

Augustine Dall'Ava carves and assembles materials - including woods, seeds, stones, marble, granite, aluminium, stainless steel - to create sculptures. He first came to prominence in the 1970s and is now renowned for works both domestic and monumental in scale.

Dall'Ava's large works - like the 9.5m high Cosmic Resonance installed at Mornington Peninsula's Point Leo Sculpture Park - are to be found in arts locations and university campuses along Australia's east coast. His small sculptures are more personal, and they reflect his Italian heritage and aspects of the human condition. Several series, entitled Dialogues and Conversations, explore human relations; others remain mysterious and meditative.

Dall'Ava's sculptures, ever abstract and quite unique, are displayed sumptuously in this superb production by renowned designer and publisher, Jenny Zimmer. Author Ken Scarlett has published extensively on Australian sculpture. Artist Viki Petherbridge provided the stunning photographs for the book.