This internet browser is outdated and does not support all features of this site. Please switch or upgrade to a different browser to display this site properly.

Bronze artwork worth its weight in gold

03/02/2023. By Carmelle Wilkinson.

Ayad Alqaragholli is the genius behind the exquisite bronze sculptures you’ve admired around Perth.

If you’re ever enjoyed brunch along Ardross Street in the leafy green suburb of Applecross, you may have noticed the beautiful bronze figures on a nearby resident’s lawn.

The owners installed the sculpture to enhance the local streetscape – an artwork they say is a way for them to give back to the community they’ve been a part of for the past 40 years.

The man behind the exquisite sculpture is none other than Curtin Fine Arts Graduate and sculpture extraordinaire Ayad Alqaragholli.

Ayad Alqaragholli.

Originally from Iraq, the Middle Eastern artist moved to Australia in 2005 in search of freedom and a better life.

“I grew up in South Iraq, and even though it was a beautiful country rich in culture and history, it was run by a dictator and there was no freedom,’’ he said.

His family home was located near a river, and it was here that his fascination and interest in sculptures was born.

“I was about 10 years old, and I remember walking down to the water’s edge with some red clay in hand and sitting there for hours creating animal and vegetable sculptures,’’ he said.

“But as I got older my attention turned to bronze figure sculptures.”

Ayad said bronze wasn’t the easiest medium to work with, but its beauty surpassed time and history and can never be destroyed.

Ayad’s works have been admired around Australia and the world.

“The figure is very important in art history,’’ he said.

“The first artists drew figures on the walls of caves and in time they then began to make obelisks. Afterwards they made figures of heroes from their history in the form of sculptures.”

Influenced by the rich culture of Samaria in South Iraq, Ayad’s work expresses love, peace and freedom.

“It must have left a big impression on me, because from a young age I knew I wanted to create art, much to my Mum’s disappointment,’’ he said.

“Artists weren’t that popular in Iraq at the time, and I think she was worried I would struggle and wouldn’t be able to make a living out of it,’’ he said.

“My Dad is a teacher, and my brother, so I think at first there was some shock that I wasn’t going to follow that career path too.

“After a while, my work started to be recognised and I became a very established artist in the Middle East. I was then able to help my Mum and family out a lot.”

Ayad exhibited extensively in the Middle East – particularly in Jordan and Baghdad – for over twenty years before moving to Perth, with his work held in museums, diplomatic enclaves and corporate and private collections.

Today, Ayad is well known in art circles around Australia and internationally.

Sculptures by the Sea has a special place in Ayad Alqaragholli’s heart.

A resident artist of Sculptures by the Sea, Ayad has exhibited at the popular outdoor exhibition for the past 13 years – winning the people’s choice award in 2020 for his sculpture ‘Anta Omri (You Are All My Life)’.

“Sculptures by the Sea is an opportunity for me to give back to the country that has given me such a good life,’’ he said.

“I am forever grateful and thankful to the organisers of Sculptures for inviting me to exhibit every year and for the community of Perth for embracing my artwork.

“I love creating art as it makes Australia more beautiful and I’m so fortunate for the beautiful life I have here.

“Artists are encouraged to be themselves and express their creativity and there are endless possibilities.

Currently working on his latest creation for this year’s Sculptures by the Sea next month, Ayad wasn’t giving much away.

Hard at work on his next masterpiece.

“Weighing about 60kg it’s extremely heavy, but I still carry it around the workshop, it’s my baby,’’ he laughed.

“The piece itself is an expression of love between two people and the commitment they make to each other following an engagement.”

Overjoyed to exhibit his work to the public again following disruptions during Covid, Ayad was also looking forward to getting back to participating in international exhibitions in Japan and South Korea later this year.

“It’s amazing to travel again and be able to share my art with the world. Covid was incredibly tough,’’ he said.

“My hope is that my art brings people joy and happiness and lasts a lifetime.”

___

Read more stories like this one

This year marks 10 years since the Collection of Carrolup Children’s Artwork returned to WA and @johncurtingallery, under the guidance of the Carrolup Elders Reference Group, became the custodian. 🖤❤️💛
 
Coinciding with the 10th year anniversary, another 10 drawings created by Australian First Nations Stolen Generations children have been added to the Collection.
 
Three of these drawings were donated by Curtin Fine Arts graduate Priscilla Kelly, the granddaughter of Charles Cook who was the Carrolup school inspector in 1950.
 
As part of the anniversary celebrations, the John Curtin Gallery is exhibiting never-before-seen footage of the child artists creating their precious works in the 1940s, after they had been forcibly taken from their families.
 
“Every single work created by the children of Carrolup offers another window into their story and our history with every new connection taking us a step closer to healing and reconciling the past.”
 
- John Curtin Gallery’s Carrolup Manager, Kathleen Toomath
 
The anniversary exhibition, ‘Kalyagool Karni-Wangkiny ([Telling Truth Always) – A Decade of Carrolup’, runs from May 12 to July 9 at the John Curtin Gallery.
 
Learn more about the Carrolup Centre for Truth-Telling via the link in bio. 👆🏽
 
Kalyagool Karni-Wangkiny [Telling Truth Always]: A Decade of Carrolup is made possible by @inside_bhp, @lotterywest, Jeff Elliott, @johncurtingallery, @curtinuniversity, @colgateuniversity, @berndt.museum and the @statelibrarywa.
 
#StolenGeneration #Carrolup #CarrolupCentreForTruthTelling #CarrolupCentre #CarrolupArt #FirstNations #AboriginalArt

This year marks 10 years since the Collection of Carrolup Children’s Artwork returned to WA and @johncurtingallery, under the guidance of the Carrolup Elders Reference Group, became the custodian. 🖤❤️💛
 
Coinciding with the 10th year anniversary, another 10 drawings created by Australian First Nations Stolen Generations children have been added to the Collection.
 
Three of these drawings were donated by Curtin Fine Arts graduate Priscilla Kelly, the granddaughter of Charles Cook who was the Carrolup school inspector in 1950.
 
As part of the anniversary celebrations, the John Curtin Gallery is exhibiting never-before-seen footage of the child artists creating their precious works in the 1940s, after they had been forcibly taken from their families.
 
“Every single work created by the children of Carrolup offers another window into their story and our history with every new connection taking us a step closer to healing and reconciling the past.”
 
- John Curtin Gallery’s Carrolup Manager, Kathleen Toomath
 
The anniversary exhibition, ‘Kalyagool Karni-Wangkiny ([Telling Truth Always) – A Decade of Carrolup’, runs from May 12 to July 9 at the John Curtin Gallery.
 
Learn more about the Carrolup Centre for Truth-Telling via the link in bio. 👆🏽
 
Kalyagool Karni-Wangkiny [Telling Truth Always]: A Decade of Carrolup is made possible by @inside_bhp, @lotterywest, Jeff Elliott, @johncurtingallery, @curtinuniversity, @colgateuniversity, @berndt.museum and the @statelibrarywa.
 
#StolenGeneration #Carrolup #CarrolupCentreForTruthTelling #CarrolupCentre #CarrolupArt #FirstNations #AboriginalArt
...

Have you visited our refurbished TL Robertson Library? 📚💡

The beating heart of our campus, Curtin’s TL Robertson Library’s wonderful new study spaces provide you with the perfect spot to reflect, study, meet and connect. 

Throughout its 51-year history, TL Robertson Library has seen many changes, with a total of 15,000m2 of refurbished space and more than 800,000 books and thousands of online resources, you’re bound to find your place. 

That’s not all, if you’re a Curtin grad you automatically receive a complimentary one-year Curtin alumni library membership. 

Get your free library membership via #GraduatePerks in the link in bio. 👆

#CurtinUniversity #CurtinAlumni #CurtinLife #TLRobertsonLibrary #Library #Membership #Education #University #Graduate #Perks #Education #HigherEducation #Perth #PerthLife #PerthisOk

Have you visited our refurbished TL Robertson Library? 📚💡

The beating heart of our campus, Curtin’s TL Robertson Library’s wonderful new study spaces provide you with the perfect spot to reflect, study, meet and connect.

Throughout its 51-year history, TL Robertson Library has seen many changes, with a total of 15,000m2 of refurbished space and more than 800,000 books and thousands of online resources, you’re bound to find your place.

That’s not all, if you’re a Curtin grad you automatically receive a complimentary one-year Curtin alumni library membership.

Get your free library membership via #GraduatePerks in the link in bio. 👆

#CurtinUniversity #CurtinAlumni #CurtinLife #TLRobertsonLibrary #Library #Membership #Education #University #Graduate #Perks #Education #HigherEducation #Perth #PerthLife #PerthisOk
...

Curtin graduate and @pwc_au Consultant Simonne Brown (Acctg & Finance 2022) struggled with social anxiety until she found her passion for volunteering. 💛

The thought of managing groups of people and communicating seemed incredibly daunting for Simonne, but since getting involved in Curtin Volunteers! she has dedicated more than a thousand hours towards improving the lives of many West Australians.

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, Simonne shares how volunteering set her up for success in her career. 👇

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒑 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓?

“It helps you stand out from the crowd. As someone with social anxiety, managing groups of people and all the communication was at first a daunting prospect to take on. I knew these were areas I needed to improve in to succeed in my career and life in general, so I am incredibly grateful to have had these opportunities to develop my confidence and skills in a safe environment.”

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏?

“The most impactful moment would have to be volunteering with Cystic Fibrosis WA. As part of the John Curtin Leadership Program, we helped organise a bridge climb to raise money for vital research into cystic fibrosis. Knowing you are helping a cause that has such a big impact on those living with the condition is incredibly rewarding.”

𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓?

“A lot of people expect volunteering to be boring but that really isn’t the case. There are so many opportunities out there, I’ve helped host silent discos, toasted marshmallows around a campfire, caught a charter flight to the Leonora Golden Gift, just to name a few.”

Update your details via the link in bio for future opportunities to get involved with Curtin and give back to your community. 👆

#CurtinGrad #VolunteersWeek #VolunteerAppreciation #NVW22 #Volunteering #GivingBack #MakeADifference #CareerAdvice #CareerDevelopment #Community #YoungLeaders #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment

Curtin graduate and @pwc_au Consultant Simonne Brown (Acctg & Finance 2022) struggled with social anxiety until she found her passion for volunteering. 💛

The thought of managing groups of people and communicating seemed incredibly daunting for Simonne, but since getting involved in Curtin Volunteers! she has dedicated more than a thousand hours towards improving the lives of many West Australians.

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, Simonne shares how volunteering set her up for success in her career. 👇

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒑 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓?

“It helps you stand out from the crowd. As someone with social anxiety, managing groups of people and all the communication was at first a daunting prospect to take on. I knew these were areas I needed to improve in to succeed in my career and life in general, so I am incredibly grateful to have had these opportunities to develop my confidence and skills in a safe environment.”

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏?

“The most impactful moment would have to be volunteering with Cystic Fibrosis WA. As part of the John Curtin Leadership Program, we helped organise a bridge climb to raise money for vital research into cystic fibrosis. Knowing you are helping a cause that has such a big impact on those living with the condition is incredibly rewarding.”

𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓?

“A lot of people expect volunteering to be boring but that really isn’t the case. There are so many opportunities out there, I’ve helped host silent discos, toasted marshmallows around a campfire, caught a charter flight to the Leonora Golden Gift, just to name a few.”

Update your details via the link in bio for future opportunities to get involved with Curtin and give back to your community. 👆

#CurtinGrad #VolunteersWeek #VolunteerAppreciation #NVW22 #Volunteering #GivingBack #MakeADifference #CareerAdvice #CareerDevelopment #Community #YoungLeaders #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment
...

Stuck on a Mother’s Day gift? Curtin nutrition graduate Julie Meek’s Chocolate Bliss Balls are guaranteed to make any mum’s eyes light up. ❤️🤤
 
The best bit is these healthy sweet treats are packed with plenty of natural vitamins and nutrients. Even better, they can be prepared and devoured in a matter of minutes. 🙌
 
Ingredients:
9 Medjool dates
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
160g raw hazelnuts or other nut meal
1 tbsp chia seeds
 
Method:

1. Start by seperating the seed from the dates.

2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blitz for a few minutes until combined and sticky. As needed, mix in a splash of water to keep the mixture moist.

2. Make tablespoons of the mixture into balls, refrigerate and enjoy!
 
Stuck on how to serve it? These bliss balls can be paired perfectly with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. ☕️

Did you give it a go? Make sure to tag us to get featured on our Instagram stories.
 
If you’re a #CurtinGrad with a delicious recipe to share? DM us for a chance to get featured. 📩
 
#CurtinGradCookOff #mothersdayrecipes #mothersday #mothersdaygiftideas #healthymealsprep #healthysnacksonthego #healthysnackideas #perthtodo #perthisok #perthfoodie #lunchrecipes #nutrition #foodstagram #healthyfoodideas

Stuck on a Mother’s Day gift? Curtin nutrition graduate Julie Meek’s Chocolate Bliss Balls are guaranteed to make any mum’s eyes light up. ❤️🤤
 
The best bit is these healthy sweet treats are packed with plenty of natural vitamins and nutrients. Even better, they can be prepared and devoured in a matter of minutes. 🙌
 
Ingredients:
9 Medjool dates
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
160g raw hazelnuts or other nut meal
1 tbsp chia seeds
 
Method:

1. Start by seperating the seed from the dates.

2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blitz for a few minutes until combined and sticky. As needed, mix in a splash of water to keep the mixture moist.

2. Make tablespoons of the mixture into balls, refrigerate and enjoy!
 
Stuck on how to serve it? These bliss balls can be paired perfectly with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. ☕️

Did you give it a go? Make sure to tag us to get featured on our Instagram stories.
 
If you’re a #CurtinGrad with a delicious recipe to share? DM us for a chance to get featured. 📩
 
#CurtinGradCookOff #mothersdayrecipes #mothersday #mothersdaygiftideas #healthymealsprep #healthysnacksonthego #healthysnackideas #perthtodo #perthisok #perthfoodie #lunchrecipes #nutrition #foodstagram #healthyfoodideas
...

The WA School of Mines Alumni welcomed a stellar group of young graduates at its annual Graduates Dinner in Kalgoorlie last week. 🎓
 
Congratulations to Curtin graduate Will Vaisey and Sandrine Symons who took out the WASMA Gold and Silver Medal for Mining and Metallurgy, and all the high-achieving silver medallists.
 
It was a special night for the new alumni who were fortunate to hear Curtin Engineering graduate and @macaltd General Manager (Mining) Josh Redmond share his incredibly moving personal and career story.
 
We look forward to seeing what this talented bunch of grads do next! 💫
 
📸: Remote Digital Imagery
 
#CurtinUniversity #CurtinAlumni #WASM #WASMMECE #WASchoolofMines #ScienceandEngineering #STEM #STEMgraduates

The WA School of Mines Alumni welcomed a stellar group of young graduates at its annual Graduates Dinner in Kalgoorlie last week. 🎓
 
Congratulations to Curtin graduate Will Vaisey and Sandrine Symons who took out the WASMA Gold and Silver Medal for Mining and Metallurgy, and all the high-achieving silver medallists.
 
It was a special night for the new alumni who were fortunate to hear Curtin Engineering graduate and @macaltd General Manager (Mining) Josh Redmond share his incredibly moving personal and career story.
 
We look forward to seeing what this talented bunch of grads do next! 💫
 
📸: Remote Digital Imagery
 
#CurtinUniversity #CurtinAlumni #WASM #WASMMECE #WASchoolofMines #ScienceandEngineering #STEM #STEMgraduates
...

We are so proud of the Curtin graduates named winners at this year’s @wabusinessnews #40Under40 Awards. 👏
 
Congratulations to Congratulations to @moonsailagency Co-Founder & Creative Partner Matt Nankivell, @summerstartouristparks General Manager James Corbitt, MTGA (Mining Technicians Group – Australia) Managing Director Michael Hansen, Chargebay Director and Teck Global Managing Director David Zucaro.
 
The awards recognise and celebrate WA’s leading entrepreneurs, innovators, and future business leaders under the age of 40.
 
We look forward to watching this stellar bunch of graduate’s kick even more goals in the future! 💫
 
Want to stay connected with your fellow #CurtinAlumni doing incredible things. Update your details with us via link in bio. 👆
 
#CurtinUniversity #CurtinGrad #BusinessNews #40under40 #perth #perthbusiness #waleaders #leadership #wabusiness #business #community

We are so proud of the Curtin graduates named winners at this year’s @wabusinessnews #40Under40 Awards. 👏
 
Congratulations to Congratulations to @moonsailagency Co-Founder & Creative Partner Matt Nankivell, @summerstartouristparks General Manager James Corbitt, MTGA (Mining Technicians Group – Australia) Managing Director Michael Hansen, Chargebay Director and Teck Global Managing Director David Zucaro.
 
The awards recognise and celebrate WA’s leading entrepreneurs, innovators, and future business leaders under the age of 40.
 
We look forward to watching this stellar bunch of graduate’s kick even more goals in the future! 💫
 
Want to stay connected with your fellow #CurtinAlumni doing incredible things. Update your details with us via link in bio. 👆
 
#CurtinUniversity #CurtinGrad #BusinessNews #40under40 #perth #perthbusiness #waleaders #leadership #wabusiness #business #community
...

Meeting for the first time when they were kids in their hometown, Curtin soon-to-be graduates Patrick Catambay (Mechanical Engineering & Finance) and Chelsea Barth (Finance & Financial Planning) pretty much grew up together. 🎓💘
 
After Patrick asked for Chelsea’s number during a fireworks show, the pair went on two coffee dates and their relationship has blossomed since.
 
Although they didn’t share any classes together at Curtin, Chelsea and Patrick will never live down the funny moments they spent studying in the library armed with copious snacks and endless laughs.
 
An exciting future ahead, the duo plan to travel the world and undertake graduate roles at the end of the year.
 
When it comes to successfully balancing a relationship while studying and working, the pair agree that open communication and setting aside quality time together will help keep the relationship strong.
 
Want more heart-warming graduate stories? Check out #CurtinCommons via the link in bio. 👆
 
#CurtinUniversity #CurtinAlumni #CurtinLife #Graduate #Stories #CoupleStories #CoupleGoals #Memories #Perth #perthgram #highereducation #university

Meeting for the first time when they were kids in their hometown, Curtin soon-to-be graduates Patrick Catambay (Mechanical Engineering & Finance) and Chelsea Barth (Finance & Financial Planning) pretty much grew up together. 🎓💘
 
After Patrick asked for Chelsea’s number during a fireworks show, the pair went on two coffee dates and their relationship has blossomed since.
 
Although they didn’t share any classes together at Curtin, Chelsea and Patrick will never live down the funny moments they spent studying in the library armed with copious snacks and endless laughs.
 
An exciting future ahead, the duo plan to travel the world and undertake graduate roles at the end of the year.
 
When it comes to successfully balancing a relationship while studying and working, the pair agree that open communication and setting aside quality time together will help keep the relationship strong.
 
Want more heart-warming graduate stories? Check out #CurtinCommons via the link in bio. 👆
 
#CurtinUniversity #CurtinAlumni #CurtinLife #Graduate #Stories #CoupleStories #CoupleGoals #Memories #Perth #perthgram #highereducation #university
...

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
Error: Access Token is not valid or has expired. Feed will not update.