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Hollow fibreglass poles, timber hardwood blocks, silicon
Varying heights to 350cm
Montalto Sculpture Prize Winner 2017
Acquired 2017
A series of twisting, vertically rising forms constructed from hollow fibreglass poles and individually cut hardwood blocks.
Each column tilts and bends subtly, creating a rhythmic field of shifting lines that respond to the light, shadows and movement of the surrounding landscape.
Positioned on an open rise, the work invites visitors to walk amongst the forms and experience their quiet presence from multiple viewpoints.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ben Carroll
Ben Carroll is an Australian sculptor whose practice explores material resonance, intuitive mark making and the emotional atmospheres created through repetition, rhythm and form.
Working primarily in timber, fibreglass, steel and cast elements, Carroll builds structures that oscillate between the architectural and the organic. His work often reflects on memory, place and personal mythology.
Carroll’s sculptures frequently centre on modular construction, using repeated units to generate undulating forms that appear animated by internal movement.
His material language brings together handcrafted elements, raw and weathered surfaces, and the quiet poetry of rhythmically assembled structures.
Thematically, his work reflects on presence, absence, spirit, and the unseen layers within landscapes that hold personal and collective histories.
Carroll often connects his sculptural gestures to literary, musical or philosophical influences, extending his practice beyond the physical object into broader cultural dialogues.
SELECTED CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Winner, Montalto Sculpture Prize (2017) for The Bush of Ghosts.
Numerous exhibitions across Australia, including outdoor sculpture exhibitions and public art projects.
Ongoing studio practice encompassing sculpture, object making and multidisciplinary experimentation.
Recognised for his distinctive approach to hand-cut timber block construction and organic, rhythmic sculptural forms.
CARROLL AT MONTALTO
The Bush of Ghosts (2017)was awarded the Montalto Sculpture Prize and subsequently acquired for the estate’s permanent collection.
The work reflects Carroll’s long-standing engagement with modular construction and the emotional resonance of landscape-inspired forms.
Installed on an open, grassy site surrounded by native vegetation, the sculpture interacts sensitively with shifting daylight and shadow. Its nine rising forms create a quiet, immersive environment that mirrors the surrounding bushland and invites contemplative movement through the work.
Carroll described the piece as initially inspired by the Brian Eno and David Byrne album My Life in the Bush of Ghosts before expanding into a deeply personal meditation on spirit, memory and the presence of ancestors in place.
As the artist notes:
“This project began as a tribute to David Byrne and Brian Eno… One of their earliest musical collaborations was called My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, hence my attempt to create a Bush of Ghosts.
I began with this simple intent but then I started thinking about ghosts in my life… I’ve felt the spirit of the land, the presence of the land's ancestors perhaps. Nothing to be afraid of. Good company in my opinion.
I thought about the ghosts that I can call my own… They are the most gorgeous creatures you could ever imagine.”- Ben Carroll.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Website: http://madebyben.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebyben/
