Born 1988, countryside Victoria, Sollai studied carving in Pietrasanta Italy, under the tutelage of Italy’s Artigiani. He returns to this art mecca annually to collect marble from the quarries.
Sollai takes his inspiration from nature, his greatest teacher, but also frequents the many art masters housed in museums world wide; he is particularly fond of old masters such as Moore, Brancusi, Marini, Picasso, Matisse, but is, inevitably influenced by all things that make the heart yearn.
For Sollai, carving and making Art is a pursuit in connecting with the universe, “I carve because it takes me away from ego, and connects me to the Universe and its beauty in a productive way.”
Many of Sollai’s sculptures are purely explorations of form and light. His works are a journey to the beholder as well as to himself and he would say that he is in collaboration with the marble itself and the materials desires are as important as his own. The works therefore establish themselves in very organic and evocative forms.
In March 2021, Sollai will be having a solo show with Artvisory of Melbourne, 22 May – 12 June, South Yarra. In 2019, Sollai exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe and Bondi and had a solo show with Harvey Galleries in Mosman, Sydney. In 2018, Sollai exhibited in Australia House, London celebrating the centenary of its construction on the Strand. He exhibited at Art Central Hong Kong with MARS Gallery of Melbourne, 2018. He has a major piece placed in esteemed Bei Wu Sculpture Park in Wesenberg, Germany and showed for the opening in 2016. Sollai has had solo exhibitions with MARS Gallery Melbourne 2016, Hardman Gallery Berlin 2018, and private shows in Hong Kong and Berlin. Sollai is placed in major collections, such as with the late Neilma Gantner collection. He otherwise has works collected in Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Tuscany and Montreal.
exhibitions
2022
Lorne Sculpture Biennale, 12 March – 3 April
2021
High Performance Art Gallery London . Intuitive Form . Solo Exhibition . 30 August – 27 September
Artvisory Gallery Melbourne . Birds and Muses . Solo Exhibition . 22 May – 12 June
Catalogue of works can be viewed here
2019
Sculpture by the Sea . Bondi . Sydney
Harvey Gallery . MARMO! Solo Exhibition . Sydney
Open Studio . Nunan – Cartwright atelier . Correns . Provence
Hill – Smith Gallery . Exhibition . Adelaide
Sculpture by the Sea . Cottesloe, Perth
2018
Australia House, Australian High Commission, Centenary Exhibition, London
Art Central showing with MARS Gallery, Hong Kong
New Works, Solo Exhibition, Prenzlauer Studio, Berlin
Hardman Galerie, Berlin, Germany
CheckPoint Ilgen Art Salon, Berlin
Sculptures in the Garden, Mudgee, Rosby Vineyard
2017
CheckPoint Ilgen, Curated by Fré and Jacqueline Ilgen , Berlin
Atelierfest, Weisensee, Berlin
2016
Placed in Bei Wu Sculpture Park, Wesenberg, Germany
Touch This Exhibition, Melbourne
New Works, Exhibition, MARS Gallery, Melbourne
2015
Lot 19, Spring Art Fair, Castlemaine – Awarded Prize for Sculpture
Group Exhibition, Castlemaine State Festival
2014
Private Exhibition with Sandra Walters Art Consultancy, Hong Kong
Group Exhibition, Nock Art Foundation, Hong Kong
Group Exhibition, La Rondine Gallery, Tuscany, Italy
2013
Hong Kong Art Festival, Group Exhibition, ZZHK Gallery, Hong Kong
Women’s Day Exhibition, Tuscany, Italy
2012
La Rondine Gallery Group Exhibition, Hong Kong
Commissions Private
Private Garden, ‘Reclining Woman’, Melbourne, Australia
Private Garden, ‘Fish’, Bermagui, Australia
Private Collection, ‘The Elias Series’, Mexico City, Mexico
Private Collection, ‘The Hunt’ and ‘Growth’, Melbourne
Private Collection, ‘ Dancing Figure’, Amsterdam, Holland
Private Garden, ‘Leonida’, Tuscany, Italy
Private Garden, ‘Bush Spirit’ and Curragwong, Mullumbimby
Commissions Public and Corporate
‘Ula’, Bei Wu Sculpture Park, Wesenberg, Germany
The Metropolis, ‘Canoe’, Melbourne City, Australia
Artist Residences
Basket Range Adelaide Hills 2019
Bei Wu Residence Artist Wesenberg, Germany, 2016
Cill Rialaig Art Project, Kerry, Ireland 2014
Mullumbimby, Australia, Resident artist, 2013
Montreal, Canada, Jatsura Lewis Studio, 2013