Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran: The Guardians

Overview

Acclaimed visual artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran has transformed Sullivan+Strumpf's Zetland gallery with a series of surreal sculptures for his new exhibition The Guardians.

The Sydney-based Sri Lankan-born artist has created an array of ceramic and bronze statues depicting colourful figures which he's named The Guardians. Simultaneously beautiful and ghoulish, the figures have been crafted by Nithiyendran using building and glazing strategies. The figures vary significantly in shape and size, from mid-sized creatures to multi-coloured larger-than-life creations.

According to Nithiyendran, "the figure's allusions to ideas around regeneration, renewal and even collapse are particularly pertinent in our current global climate defined by social, environmental and public health shifts/upheaval".

The Guardians follow exhibitions from Nithiyendran at the Gold Coast's Home of the Arts, Tasmania's Dark MOFO and the Art Gallery of New South Wales including a 70-sculpture exhibition titled Avatar Towers as part of Archie Plus.

You can catch the exhibition from Thursday, October 14 through until Saturday, November 13 and entry is free. The gallery is open 10am–5pm, Tuesday–Saturday.

Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran in his studio with Four headed seated figure, 2021, earthenware, approx 119 x 41 x 35cm. Photo courtesy the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf.