Succah by the Sea at Sculpture by the Sea 2019 - photo by Richard Glover
There are a lot of people that would never enter an art gallery. It is just not for them. Which is why “Sculpture by the Sea”, the world’s largest free sculpture exhibition, is one of my favourite times in Sydney. The spectacular Bondi Beach coastal walk is transformed into a 2km outdoor gallery and features + 100 sculptures by artists from Australia and across the world. Over three weeks, 500,000 people engage with the exhibition. Its magic is that it supports those that are not arty to engage in an environment that they feel comfortable. Art allows us to express feelings, emotions, and thoughts in ways that are not always possible in words or actions. It helps us understand how we relate to each other and society, which is why a free, high quality art exhibition, serves the public good.
This reflects my philosophy on customer centred business strategy. If you want to engage new customers, you need to do it in an environment that works for your target customer. As the CEO of Shalom, my aim was to engage unaffiliated Jews and those they connect with, in Jewish culture. This was the origin of ‘Succah By the Sea’, a collaboration between Sculpture by the Sea and Shalom in 2019. Six architectural studios leveraged ancient design and philosophical guidelines to rethink traditional representations of a Succah through a 21st century lens. The ritual wrestles with many contemporary issues - from homelessness and displacement, to environmentalism, impermanence, the definition of perfection, and social isolation.
As this year’s Sculpture by the Sea closes, I’d love to hear your thoughts on ABC’s video of our 2019 collaboration. Let me know if you think Shalom engaged its new audiences through accessible art!
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