Peter Zappa (Victoria Park) with his work ‘Calderesque’
Camera IconPeter Zappa (Victoria Park) with his work ‘Calderesque’ Credit: Supplied/Martin Kennealey

Kinetic art casts its spell

Staff ReporterSouthern Gazette

Victoria Park sculptor Peter Zappa, who created the striking series of three sculptures in Raine Square, will have his piece, Calderesque, in the popular exhibition.

While he says the simple sculpture looks like a bird or a fisherman, its magic was in its graceful movement.

‘A stone-weighted arm sits on the vertical element and two bearings enable it to move up or down and teeter and rock if a bird lands on it or the wind blows,’ Zappa said.

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‘A horizontal bearing allows the arm to rotate 360 degrees so the stone makes it respond to wind slowly and slows it down so it creates a beautiful movement that is quite hypnotic.’

The 55-year-old former plumber and now part time Tafe lecturer said the sculpture was his tribute to American artist Alexander Calder (1898-1976), credited with inventing the mobile, or suspended moving sculpture.

‘I started making art just for the hell of it. It was always in the blood. I was always a bit ‘arty farty’ with a creative spirit,’ Zappa said.

He has exhibited his work in Sculpture by the Sea four times ” twice at Cottesloe and twice at Bondi ” and received the Stretton Award on his debut, enabling his artwork to be transported to NSW for the Bondi exhibition.

This year will be his fifth appearance.