After a spending some time in Bundanon for a artist residency I was very much inspired by the huge rocks in the area.

This led me to work on a series using natural rock and cut bluestone. This work hopefully reflects the time – it was all about fun and humour.

The piece was constructed from both new and recycled materials collected from the area. Working closely with architects WMCQ the gate was to complement the buildings design, which was based on the local shipping and railways yards.
“As well as giving the work an industrial feel by using recycled railway pins, wood and cortin steel,” said Jos “I wanted to add a lightness to the entrance to the building. For this reason I sought inspiration from Japanese design for the composition of the gate. This way I felt I could achieve both.”

The work is expected to be installed soon. We will keep you posted when it will be available to the public.

Having recently attended an artist luncheon at the beautiful Elgee Park Winery owned and run by the Myer family, I was impressed and inspired by the diversity of the sculptural collection available to the public. With over 35 sculptures and artists such as Inge King, Bruce Armstrong, Robert Klippel, Chris Booth – just to name a few, makes this a sculptural collection of huge significance. To have my sculpture in such a collection is indeed an honour.

The collection has now been immortalised in a book “Elgee Park Sculpture in the Landscape” written by Ken Scarlett, an art critic of huge importance in Australian sculpture.

For those of you looking for a nice weekend activity, I can highly recommend a trip to Elgee Park. The morning peninsula is stunning, the wine is sensational and the sculpture is pretty good too!

For more information go to Elgee Park Wines website.

As a Lempriere finalist, receiving the Encouragement Award in 2007 for the work titled Casualty Numbers, Jos spent some time as artist in residence.

The artist in residence program at Bundanon affords artists, from all disciplines and from all over the world, the opportunity to reflect on their practice; the time and space to meditate and the facilities to create. Bundanon’s original artist in residence program operated from the Riversdale property, with artists staying in the homestead and utilising Arthur Boyd’s former studio.

The 2007 Lempriere Award Winner Julia Davis, Meniscii,

An installation of convex perspex mirrors reflects the sky and landscape, exploring art’s relationship with nature. Davis’ winning work will secure  a permanent place on the Werribee Park Sculpture Walk, in the company of previous winners.

Commended Works Louise Paramor, Industrial Jam Session

The six separate assemblages that form Industrial Jam Session each comprise four or five plastic parts, the majority of which were originally designed for industrial use. As the title suggests, for me this work possesses a musical and experimental dimension.

Encouragement Award Jos Van Hulsen, Casualty Numbers.

Made of steel, mirrors and enamel distance counters recycled from Victoria’s railways, Jos Van Hulsen’s piece Casualty Numbers explores how we have become immune to news of casualty numbers, unless they include someone we know.

To read more about the 2007 Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award click here

Casualty Numbers, made of steel, mirrors and enamel distance counters recycled  from Victorian railways, this piece explores how we’ve become immune to news of casualty numbers, unless they include someone we know.

There is art in spare parts says sculptor Jos Van Hulsen, who gives industrial junk a new lease on life.

Article in The Age 4 November 1998 shows some earlier work and describes Jos and his wife Mary in the earlier days in Richmond.
Download the pdf of the entire article.