Richard Mathieson b. 1957
Round Tree is an abstract bronze sculpture that celebrates the 25th anniversary of Medal Art NZ, a collective of artists with whom Richard has had a long-standing association. The work also pays homage to the rhythms and repetitions found in nature.
The sculpture features twenty-five pairs of splayed arms, each triumphantly holding a medal-like disc of radiating circles. These discs reference botanical forms and organic growth patterns, as well as the traditional format of medals-with the convex obverse and concave reverse subtly depicted. The discs also nod to the cope and drag method of sand casting, where front and back pattern boards are used to form moulds.
The overall composition spirals in a double helix formation, with each casting rotated anticlockwise by 30 degrees, further evoking the DNA structure that underpins all living things. Sand casting is a favoured technique of Richard's, prized both for its immediacy and the rich surface textures it imparts on the bronze.
