about

Bird in Flight on show at Sculpture by the Sea

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.

‘Journeys’ exhibition at Australia House, Australian High Commission London

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