Bert Flugelman

Herbert Flugelman (28 January 1923 – 26 February 2013), usually known as Bert, was a prominent Australian visual artist, primarily a sculptor, who had many of his works publicly displayed.

He is known for his stainless steel geometric public sculptures.

Among his best-known works are the "Mall's Balls" in Adelaide, and "the Silver Shish Kebab" (Pyramid Tower) in Sydney.

Herbert Flugelman was born in Vienna, Austria, on 28 January 1923, the son of Leopold and Irma Flugelman.

As the Nazis came to power in the 1930s, Leopold was the first to come to Australia, in his official capacity as an agent for the German fabric company he worked for.

He then arranged visas for his second wife, Annie, and Herbert to come as well.

After queuing for three days for a train leaving Vienna, Herbert was initially turned away for not having the right papers.

His uncle intervened, telling the guards that they were supposed to be getting rid of Jews, and Herbert was allowed to board.

He met Annie in Genoa, Italy, where in 1938 they boarded a boat to Fremantle, Western Australia, before travelling to Sydney.

Leopold got a job as a hotel doorman, later becoming manager.

Herbert's mother Irma also escaped Australia, initially to London and then moving to the United States after the war, where she remarried.

Flugelman first worked as a jackaroo.

From 1943 to 1946 Flugelman served in the Australian Army (although, being a foreign national, he was not allowed to fight ).

From 1948 to 1951, he studied at the National Art School (East Sydney Technical College) in Sydney, where he studied paining under Frank Hinder.

After starting his career with painting, Flugelman turned to sculpture in the late 1950s after fire destroyed his studio.

From 1951 to 1955, he travelled to Europe, including a visit in 1954 to Spain with his artist friend John Copnall.

In 1952, he contracted polio in Vienna, spending some time being treated in a London hospital.

The disease left him with severe disabilities in one arm and one leg.

However, this did not stop him holding several successful exhibitions at the Piccadilly Gallery in London, including his first solo exhibition.

He then moved to New York City, where his work was exhibited in the Bourne Gallery.

He returned to Australia in 1955.

After a fire destroyed much of his work in his studio, Flugelman reassessed his career, and started to concentrate on sculpture.

He began creating semi-figurative expressionist sculptures, then from the late 1960s he helped to lead a new wave of practices, with range of forms that included object-based sculptures as well as installations along with works of conceptual and performance art.

His first commission was by an Australian oil company in 1962, and other commissions followed, notably a bronze sculpture for UNSW (1964) and a copper and ceramic fountain for ANU (1966).

In 1967, he created a sculpture called Equestrian, and in 1969, Black Box.

Tetrahedra consists of seven tetrahedra made of shiny polished stainless steel, and reflects the 1970s Australian modernist style of the Adelaide Festival Centre.

During this period, he also lectured at the City Art Institute in Sydney (now UNSW Art & Design).

However, a particular sculpture created in 1971, comprising six tetrahedrons, proved to be a turning point in his career.

First shown at Hawthorn Art Gallery, they were subsequently exhibited at several locations in ensuing years.

In 1972, he created a work of performance art, called Burning Euphonium, in which he doused flames on a sculpture.

A 1972 exhibition at the atters [sic] Gallery in Sydney was also significant.

In 1972, Flugelman moved to Adelaide.

From 1972 to 1983, Flugelman was a lecturer at the South Australian School of Art, and subsequently became head of sculpture.

During this period, he completed some of his most famous work, in particular Tetrahedra, also known as Festival Sculpture (1974/5), at the Adelaide Festival Centre; Spheres, popularly known as the Mall's Balls (1977), in Rundle Mall, Adelaide; and Cones (1982), at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

From 1984 to 1990, Flugelman was senior lecturer and fellow at the School of Creative Arts, University of Wollongong.

In 1991, he was made professorial fellow at the university, and in 1995 received an honorary Doctorate of Creative Art (Honoris Causa).

In 1997, he received the Australia Council, Visual Arts/Craft Fund, Emeritus Award.

In 2008, a hard-bound survey of his post-1968 sculptures, primarily his stainless-steel work, was published by The Watermark Press.

It was written by Emeritus Professor Peter Pinson (whose Sydney art gallery represented Flugelman), with photography by David Perry.

The book was designed by Harry Williamson.