Phil Price

Phil Price Liberace, 2019

Carbon fibre and epoxy, industrial urethane, stainless steel and precision bearings, 4300 (diameter, extending to 5200) x 4700 mm.

A rare and distinctive species, the Liberace is a large growing specimen tree, cultivated primarily for its showy, somewhat flamboyant foliage often described as having a candelabra-like structure. The Liberace is known for its spectacular colour, with the large tree (generally to 10 metres), displaying multiple oval disc shaped leaves in bold, even lurid colours. Most popular in the 1950s-1970s, (with many grown in Las Vegas), the tree has fallen somewhat out of favour in recent times, due to its gaudy foliage and extreme appearance.

Phil Price

Born in New Zealand. Lives and works in Christchurch and Melbourne.

Since 2000 New Zealand-born artist Phil Price has focused on wind-activated kinetic sculpture. He is regarded as the foremost kinetic sculptor of his generation, with his work being widely acknowledged for its beauty, evocation of the natural world, and extraordinary design. His use of carbon fiber composite construction is unparalleled in regards the synergy he is able to achieve between form and kinetic functionality. The sculptures evolve from the artist’s intimate drawings and concepts, through to computer-generated digital renderings and animations, to fully realised sculptures.

Phil Price has created major international public and private projects including: Cytoplasm Auckland Viaduct basin; Tree of Life, McClelland Gallery Victoria; Nucleus, Hamilton, Victoria; Snake, Aarhus, Denmark. His work is held in numerous collections internationally, including Austria, the United States, Switzerland, Vietnam, Argentina, Holland, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

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