Carl Merten and Joan Relke
Sculpture StudioCarl's Recent Work Joan's Recent Work
Carl's Paintings Joan's Paintings
Joan and Carl's enduring partnership of 30 years is a unique blending of creative vision, imagination, craftsmanship, and artistic originality. That both sculptors possess a distinctly individual approach to their practice is clearly shown by the unusual variety of large major commissions in stainless steel, cast bronze, cast aluminium, and stone. These works enhance Australia's parks and buildings. In Sydney, visit 321 Kent Street to see Joan's Enclosing Form in bronze and Carl's Duality in stainless steel.
Medium sized works in bronze, stone, stainless steel, and ceramic grace the offices, homes, and gardens of corporate and private collectors.
Their public monumental work includes figurative bronze sculptures of famous Australians, such as Matthew Flinders, Charles Sturt, Joseph Banks, Sir Edmund Barton, Kingsford Smith, and Edward Eyre. Carl has completed two large figurative sculptures to commemorate coal miners who have lost their lives in the mines --Cessnock and Gunnedah, NSW.
Their most recent monumental work, cast in aluminium, now sits in Uralla, NSW -- Joan's Spirit of the Southern Cross and Carl's Carina, each part of a larger work based on the circumpolar constellations of the southern hemisphere.
Carl's private sculpture favours lyrical abstractions of dancing figures, natural and musical forms. Joan's work focuses on female imagery and mythological themes, such as the stories of goddesses such as Gaia, Sedna, Lilith, and the Pythian oracle. She is also exploring zen concepts in the form of miniature zen gardens.
Most recently Joan has developed a series of paintings based on her goddess sculptures. The Lady Li photo paintings can be seen here and purchased at Quietspaces.
For further information on commissions, workshops, and exhibitions, please contact us by email, phone, or write to us.
Please visit our web pages:
2014
