Robert Hague Explained

Robert Hague
Birth Date:	18 October 1967
Birth Place:	Rotorua, New Zealand
Field:	Sculpture
Website:	http://www.roberthague.com

Robert Hague (born 1967, Rotorua, NZ), is an Australian artist living and working in Melbourne, Victoria.^[1] He is best known for his metal and marble sculpture and his detailed lithographic print work.

Biography

Hague migrated to Australia in 1985^[2] and at first exhibited painting (Rotorua Art Prize, Caulfield Art Prize) before concentrating on sculpture.^[3] His first sculpture exhibition was titled "Why Not?" at Tap Gallery in Sydney, which included the artists James Powditch] and Mark Booth, among others.^[4] In 1998 he exhibited at the fledgling Sculpture by the Sea and in 1999 was awarded the inaugural Sculpture by the Sea, Director's Prize.^[5] From 1996 - 2000 he exhibited at Defiance Gallery including the Miniature shows "The Defiant 6"", "Big Thoughts, Small Works" and "The Importance of being Tiny"^[6] with King St Gallery. In 2001 he joined Stella Downer Fine Art at the newly opened Danks Street Gallery Complex.^[7]

From 1999 to 2003 he was workshop assistant to senior sculptor Ron Robertson-Swann OAM (formally assistant to sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1986)^[8]), with his first solo exhibitions in 2003 at Lister Calder Gallery,^[9] Stella Downer Fine Art^[10] and the Mosman Art Gallery.^[11] He has since exhibited in more than 120 group and solo shows^[12] and is represented in both public and corporate collections in Australia and overseas.^[13]

In 2013 a ten-year retrospective of his work was held by Deakin University Gallery in Melbourne, including the publication 'Deca' with essays by Ashley Crawford and Ken Scarlett. In 2014 a biographical film was produced by Peter Lamont called Uncertain Ciphers and includes interviews with the art critics Andrew Frost, Ken Scarlett and art dealer Lisa Fehily.^[14]

More recently, Hague was shortlisted for the 2015 Wynne prize at the Art Gallery of NSW,^[15] and the 2016 Blake Prize at the Casula Powerhouse, winning the Established Artist Residency.^[16] In 2016 the marble sculpture Shutdown was acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria from the exhibition 'Inaugural' at Nicholas Projects.^[17]

Lithography

In 2012 Hague began a series of lithographic prints with master printmaker Peter Lancaster at his Melbourne print studios, Lancaster Press^[18]
In 2016 the 'plate series' was acquired by the National Gallery of Australia.^[19]
Following the National Gallery of Victoria print commission for Melbourne Now^[20] 2022, Hague began his own small Newport print studio.

Commissions

Significant commissions include Stride Orbis (2013) a 65 tonne concrete sculpture for Form700 head offices, Melbourne. Sol, Repose, One Mile and Skel (2010) for the Polo Club Hotel, Tianjin, China. West Orbis (2009) 4m sculpture for Chadstone Shopping Centre. Decent (2007) for the 50th Anniversary, Thredbo, Mt Kosciusko. Genus (2005) Macquarie Group Sovereign Centre foyer, 99 Bathurst St, Sydney. Fervor (2005) Four Seasons Hotel foyer, Hong Kong. Orbis (2005) Emporio Apartments foyer, Sussex St, Sydney. NSW and The Ocean Series (2001) 20 sculpture, patron commission for Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney.

Awards

• 2016: The Blake Prize, Established Artist Residency, Sydney^[21]
• 2011: Lorne Sculpture 2011 small sculpture Award^[22] Lorne, Vic
• 2010: Deakin University contemporary small sculpture award,^[23] Melbourne.
• 2009: Yarra Trams Award,^[24] Toorak Sculpture Prize. Melbourne.
• 2000: Waverley Art Prize,^[25] Sculpture. Sydney.
• 1999: The Director's Prize, Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney^[26] Sydney.

Collections

National Gallery of Australia National Gallery of Victoria National Library of Australia Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery Art Gallery of NSW, Members, Sydney Geelong Art Gallery Gippsland Art Gallery The Consulate of Malawi, Melbourne Deakin University Art Collection, Melbourne Edith Cowan University, Perth St John of God Hospital, Perth

Poly Club Hotel, Tianjin, China Kosciuszko Thredbo Pty Ltd, Thredbo Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong Chadstone Shopping Centre, Melbourne Emporio Apartments, Sydney Concept Blue Apartments, Melbourne Top of the Town Apartments, Sydney Sovereign Centre, Sydney Leopold, Melbourne Form700 corporate offices, Melbourne Bulknet Pty Ltd, Sydney

Baillieu & Sarah Myer John & Pauline Gandel Morry Fraid Smorgon Collection Marco Belgiorno-Zegna Armando Percuoco Tetsuya Wakuda Helen Turner Rosemary Foot Tony Geddes Ron Kaplan^[27]

References

• Plowman, John. The Sculptor's Bible. (2005) Quarto Publishing Plc.
• Sculpture by the Sea 1997-2011. (2011) Media 21 Publishing.
• Sculpture by the Sea, print catalogues: Bondi http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/image-gallery/bondi.aspx? :, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2011. Cottesloe http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/image-gallery/cottesloe.aspx? : 2005, 2006, 2011.
• World Sculpture News. 'Deakin Sculpture Award'. Winter 2011
• The Sun Herald, Life Magazine. 'Q&A', Chris Sheedy. 5/11/06
• The Australian Art Market Report. Issue 6. 12/02

External links

• Artist's website

Notes and References

1. McCulloch's Encyclopedia of Australian Art, (2006) Migunyah Press.
2. http://www.axiamodernart.com.au/artists/sculpture/artists.php?id=40 Axia Modern Art Gallery
3. http://www.timolsengallery.com/pages/artists_details.php?artist_id=307 Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
4. 'Art Bulletin', Darlinghurst. Issue No 81, March/April 1998
5. 'Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2000' printed catalogue.
6. Defiance Gallery, Sydney. Printed invitations: 14 November 1998, 24 November 1999, 22 November 2000
7. http://www.2danksstreet.com.au/about.php Danks Street
8. [Ken Scarlett]
9. http://www.artseeninwa.com/hague.html Art Seen in WA
10. Sydney Morning Herald, Critics Pick. 3/10/ 2003
11. Robert Hague, Sculpture. Mosman Gallery, 11 December 2003 – 25 January 2004. Printed invitation.
12. 'Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2012' printed catalogue.
13. World Sculpture News (magazine), Asian Art Press. Vol 17, winter 2011.
14. Web site: Handmade Films (Australia). 12 September 2023.
15. Web site: Archibald Prize Wynne 2015 work: Shutdown by Robert Hague. www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. 12 September 2023.
16. Web site: 64th Blake Prize. 12 September 2023.
17. https://nicholasprojects.org/exhibitions-2/ Inaugural @ Nicholas Projects
18. Web site: Contents fragile – Hague’s Trojan Hammer. 24 February 2013. 12 September 2023.
19. Web site: TURNER GALLERIES... robert hague. www.turnergalleries.com.au. 12 September 2023.
20. Web site: Melbourne Now artist Robert Hague.
21. Web site: The 64th Blake Prize - CPAC Website . www.casulapowerhouse.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213832/http://www.casulapowerhouse.com/whats-on/exhibitions2/the-64th-blake-prize . 2016-03-03.
22. Web site: Lorne Sculpture Biennale .
23. http://www.deakin.edu.au/buslaw/management-marketing/aem/sculpture/award-2010.php Award 2010
24. http://www.tooraksculpture.com.au/history.htm#2009 History
25. Web site: waverley woollahra arts centre - art prize page . www.wwas.org.au . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110412072647/http://www.wwas.org.au/artprize_information.php . 2011-04-12.
26. Web site: History . www.sculpturebythesea.com . 14 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120114041720/http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/about/history.aspx . 14 January 2012 . dead.
27. Artist's Resume (.doc) http://www.roberthague.com/sculpture/CV%20-%20Robert%20Hague.doc