Sculpture from Australia

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33056, 25 October 1972, Page 10

Sculpture from Australia

An exhibition of copper sculptures by Aurel Ragus, a Rumanian-born Australian, is to open in the Tasman Gallery, Gloucester Street, next week. The exhibition has been arranged by Mr Hans Menrath, of Christchurch (shown above holding two of the sculptures) who persuaded Mr Ragus to exhibit in Christchurch. Mr Menrath said he met Mr Ragus in Sydney after he had seen examples of the sculptor’s work in art galleries and modern buildings, such as the Bank of New South Wales in Brisbane, for which Mr Ragus made a 50ft copper relief depicting the life of the Queensland Aborigines.

“He was quite prepared to let us have 14 of his statues, covering Australian life, mainly connected with the back country,” Mr Menrath said.

He will hold the exhibition in the Tasman Gallery, a dealer gallery, because the C.S.A. gallery is already fully booked for one-man exhibitions.

Mr Ragus works in metals, sometimes silver, mainly copper, and also paints. “At present he is one of the most interesting and important sculptors in the world, and his works are represented in many art galleries, in New York. Los Angeles, London, Sydney and Melbourne,” Mr Menrath said. “Whether he creates huge groupings for facades of modern buildings, or small perfectly tooled figures, they are all very much alive and full of expression. Ragus loves every moment of his creative art (by the way, he is also a good painter) and

is able in his own simple way to express the dignity of the human person, be it a beggar, or a minister. “By using the oxy-acety-lene blow-pipe he is able to put rich brown, green and blue colours into the statues ; he makes. I found out in Australia that his work is ; very much sought after all over the world and very high prices are paid for his art.” Mr Menrath said. The exhibition will open on Monday evening.