Ante Dabro Explained

Ante Dabro (born 13 January 1938, Čavoglave, Croatia) is a Croatian-born Australian artist/sculptor and art teacher who has lived and worked in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory since the late 1960s.

Dabro's sculptures are typified by angular form; many are nudes and bronzes. His work is said to embody universal themes, "suffering, hope, sexuality, heroism, spirituality" but also silently acknowledge the 'outsider'.^[1]

Principal works

A selection of Dabro's works are listed:

• Royal Australian Navy Memorial, Canberra - Sailors and Ships - Interaction and Interdependence (1986), unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on 1986-03-03, the 75th anniversary of the Navy.
• Australian National University:^[2]
  • Contemplation (2002) - a response to the poetry of Judith Wright
  • Sir Winston Churchill (2001) - Winston Churchill Trust
• Brindabella Business Park, Canberra Airport; these are in the collection of the airport's owner, Terry Snow, and are on loan to BBP:
  • four bronzes at water features, Susanne, Dancer, and The Bathers,^[3] all dated 2005^[4]
  • a bronze figure Genesis (2009), unveiled 2009-06-02 by the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce.^[5]
• Canberra City
  • "Resilience" (2009)
• Saint Matthew, (1984), St Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, Page, ACT

Career

• 1964 - graduate, Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb
• 1966 - Master of Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb
• 1967 - emigrated to Australia, settled in Canberra
• 1971-2004 - teacher, School of Art, Australian National University
• 1984-6 - commission, Royal Australian Navy Memorial, Anzac Parade, Canberra
• 1989
  • commission, Liberal Party of Australia, miniature bust of Sir Robert Menzies
  • commission, Government of Australia, for French Bicentenary, sculpture of naval explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse (installed at the Promenade d'Australie in Paris^[6])
• 1999 - Retrospective solo exhibition, 1969–99, Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra
• 2005 - commissions, for Terry Snow and Canberra Airport

Staircase thefts

On the Staircase is a group of four stylised male figures, progressively smaller as they are further up a staircase of diminishing size, all in bronze. The figures are each reading a book. It cost $80,000. After it was again vandalised,^[7] in the local media it was attributed to Ante Dabro.^[8] Yet, it had been attributed correctly weeks earlier by another outlet to Danish artist, Keld Moseholm^[9] Dabro was quoted in local media, as being upset to the vandalism of art, perhaps adding to the confusion among the media. The smallest figure was removed on 8 December 2013, with the act visible on footage from a CCTV camera, with two women shown shortly before the theft. After the publicity, on the following day the figure was handed into a local ACT Police station.

External links

• Dabro's web site
• Recent works

Notes and References

1. http://antedabro.maven.com.au/html/introduction2.html Ante Dabro: Croatian born-Australian Sculptor
2. http://facilities.anu.edu.au/files/181_05-sculpture%20brochure.pdf Sculpture on Acton Campus
3. http://www.canberraairport.com.au/pdfs/Hub31.pdf The Bathers unveiled
4. http://www.brindabellabusinesspark.com.au/bbp-workinginthepark/art.cfm Artist in residence
5. http://www.canberraairport.com.au/media%20releases/MediaRelease09_2Jun.pdf Governor General of Australia to open sculpture by world-renowned Artist Ante Dabro
6. https://www.artatsite.com/Paris/details/Dabro-Ante-Francois-Galaup-Promenade-Australie-sculpture-modern-contemporain-art-Paris.html details of the bust of Jean-François de Galaup
7. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/petrie-plaza-sculpture-vandalised-again-figure-stolen-20131208-2yzjp.html Petrie Plaza sculpture vandalised again, figure stolen
8. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-09/thieves-hit-statue-in-canberras-cbd/5144298 Stairway sculpture hit again by thieves in Civic
9. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/little-guys-are-back-with-some-bigtime-protection-20131029-2wefy.html Little guys are back with some big-time protection