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Steel, 260 x 250 x 250cm
Prize Winner 2004
Diagram for the Internal Image sits on the slope above the wetlands, its circular aperture drawing the surrounding landscape into its frame. Built from steel and rebuilt in 2019, the work presents a quietly commanding form that rests between architecture and instrument, inviting viewers to look through, beyond and back at themselves.
The sculpture emerges from Needham’s investigation into perception, the unseen and the structures through which we understand the world. The eye, both as symbol and mechanism, sits at the centre of this inquiry.
By pairing the physical weight of steel with a void that directs vision outward, the work creates a tension between the material and the metaphysical, encouraging a moment of pause and contemplation along the Sculpture Trail.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Michael Needham
Michael Needham is an Australian artist working across sculpture, installation, drawing and research-led practice. His work explores the intersections between philosophy, perception, absence and belief, often drawing from both art history and religious iconography.
Needham’s sculptures frequently pair solid, formal structures with openings, voids or shadows, creating works that operate as both physical objects and conceptual diagrams.
Needham holds a PhD from the Australian National University, where his research examined presence, loss and the poetics of negative space. His practice is defined by precision, restraint and an ongoing inquiry into how objects can hold emotional or contemplative charge.
He has exhibited widely across Australia, with solo exhibitions in Melbourne, Canberra and regional galleries, and his work appears in a number of public and private collections.
SELECTED CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Winner, Montalto Sculpture Prize (2004) for Diagram for the Internal Image.
PhD, Australian National University.Solo exhibitions at galleries including Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Helen Gory Galerie and Artereal Gallery.
Work held in national and private collections.
Active research and teaching practice across sculpture, drawing and contemporary visual art.
Works recognised for philosophical depth, material clarity and contemplative spatial engagement
NEEDHAM AT MONTALTO
Diagram for the Internal Image occupies a pivotal place within the early history of the Montalto Sculpture Prize. The work’s circular void frames the land, light and shifting weather, turning the surrounding environment into part of the sculpture itself.
Rebuilt in 2019, the piece continues to evolve with the estate, its rusted steel surface settling more deeply into the landscape each year. As visitors move around it, the sightlines shift and the internal cavity alternates between shadow and illumination.
In this way, the sculpture mirrors Needham’s broader practice: an invitation to look, to reconsider and to hold still for a moment of reflection.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Website: https://michaelneedham.com.au/home.html
CV: https://img-cache.oppcdn.com/fixed/19766/assets/PgJ820MLk26tQIK0.pdf
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_michael_needham/
