2025 Grad Show

Jeff Wielki

AUArts Grad Show Headshot

Sculpture

jeffwielki.com/

My sculptural practice focuses on impermanence and transformation, specifically within the context of the relationship between natural processes and human systems. My interest is in reconfiguring and re-contextualizing the manufactured and systematized objects we encounter every day to question the stamina of human systems in the face of natural forces.

Within my work I interrogate every object as having importance and intent, seeking to understand the agency and affect of our built world. The materiality of the world can be examined through common objects and how they function and transform through their exposure to systems. A reframe that examines their characteristics, materials, place, and physicality allows reuse in the context of sculpture.

Hopefully, you also find some humour in my work.

There to (not) Hear Wheelbarrow gramophone. Click the image to watch the video.

There to (not) Hear

A used wheelbarrow has been modified to operate as a gramophone. When this tool is used, a rebar “needle” transmits sound from the ground into the modified bucket as horn. This tool loudly interprets the various surfaces it is pushed over. Riffing on the idea that we are not listening to the world around us, it encourages a reflection on how the world is experienced, what we ignore, where we live, and why.

This work is ongoing on instagram.

There to (not) Hear
There to (not) Hear Wheelbarrow gramophone.
Click the image to watch the video.
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.

Subject to Change

"Subject to Change" (2025) is a self-portrait bust made entirely of nails, held together only with rust. Formed over a period of more than two months, the nails rusted together as they sat in a sectioned plywood mold, treated daily with saltwater to help the natural process of corrosion. The process of rusting and oxidation is often seen as destructive and unwanted, but can also be productive and generative, creating something new in decay over time.

Subject to Change AUArts Grad Show IMG_9666
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change AUArts Grad Show IMG_9703
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change AUArts Grad Show IMG_9700
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change AUArts Grad Show IMG_9693
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change AUArts Grad Show IMG_9698
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
Subject to Change AUArts Grad Show IMG_9710
Subject to Change Self-portrait bust. Rust-welded nails, plywood, salt.
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"

The Reckoning

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1834 poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" resonates with themes of human/environment conflicts. "The Reckoning" abstracts a moment in Coleridge’s work when deathly supernatural figures arrive to decide the fate of the Mariner and the ships crew after the Mariner kills one of God’s creatures. The Mariner must spend the rest of his days warning others of the wrongs he committed against nature.

The Reckoning AUArts Grad Show IMG_9578 2
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning AUArts Grad Show IMG_9732
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning AUArts Grad Show IMG_9580 2
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning AUArts Grad Show IMG_9737
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning AUArts Grad Show IMG_9577 3
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Reckoning AUArts Grad Show IMG_9598 2
The Reckoning Tires, steel, concrete, paint, oil barrel, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
The Big City Cast and fabricated silver and bronze ring
Travelling Case Copper, brass, wood, leather, artificial turf, resin gnome. 12 x 6 x 6 inches​ ​
The City Cast silver and bronze ring with concrete inlay
There's Something on Your Shirt (brooch) Nickel fork, brass macaroni, steel pin, red enamel.
Untitled Folding chair, reupholstered with ammonia patina'd copper.

Jewellery & Metals

Metal work.

Jewellery & Metals AUArts Grad Show Chicago_ring_JW
The Big City Cast and fabricated silver and bronze ring
Jewellery & Metals AUArts Grad Show IMG_05313
Travelling Case Copper, brass, wood, leather, artificial turf, resin gnome. 12 x 6 x 6 inches​

​
Jewellery & Metals AUArts Grad Show IMG_7485
The City Cast silver and bronze ring with concrete inlay
Jewellery & Metals AUArts Grad Show brooch_
There's Something on Your Shirt (brooch) Nickel fork, brass macaroni, steel pin, red enamel.
Jewellery & Metals AUArts Grad Show Untitled Artwork
Untitled Folding chair, reupholstered with ammonia patina'd copper.
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm

Movie Night (brooch)

A couch brooch built around the concept of spending time together watching movies. Cast bronze and silver popcorn pieces jangle in the upholstered couch. The brooch pin mechanism and clasp is also made of half popcorn pieces soldered to the etched brass back.

Movie Night (brooch) AUArts Grad Show IMG_8361_
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night (brooch) AUArts Grad Show IMG_8351_
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night (brooch) AUArts Grad Show IMG_8353_
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night (brooch) AUArts Grad Show IMG_8366
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night (brooch) AUArts Grad Show IMG_8365_
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
Movie Night (brooch) AUArts Grad Show IMG_8369_
Movie Night Brass, silver, seat foam, upholstery, black walnut, nickel wire. 8.5 x 15 x 5 cm
The Peacock and the Crane 99.9% copper 4 cent piece.
The Peacock and the Crane 99.9% copper 4 cent piece.
The Peacock and the Crane Royal Canadian Mint 1 cent piece
The Peacock and the Crane Royal Canadian Mint 1 cent piece
The Peacock and the Crane

The Peacock and the Crane

One day, a peacock met a crane.
The peacock spread his colourful tail and said "Look, my feathers have all the beauty of the rainbow. Yours are as dull as dust!"
The crane spread their wings and flew up towards the sun. "Follow me if you can," they said.
The peacock stood while the crane soared above.

The Peacock and the Crane AUArts Grad Show IMG_7267
The Peacock and the Crane 99.9% copper 4 cent piece.
The Peacock and the Crane AUArts Grad Show IMG_7268
The Peacock and the Crane 99.9% copper 4 cent piece.
The Peacock and the Crane AUArts Grad Show IMG_7270
The Peacock and the Crane Royal Canadian Mint 1 cent piece
The Peacock and the Crane AUArts Grad Show IMG_7269
The Peacock and the Crane Royal Canadian Mint 1 cent piece
The Peacock and the Crane AUArts Grad Show IMG_7263
The Peacock and the Crane
Participant (belt buckle) Copper, brass, enamel. 9 x 11 x 3 cm
Copper, brass, enamel. 9 x 11 x 3 cm
Copper, brass, enamel. 9 x 11 x 3 cm

Participant (belt buckle)

Sometimes, the everyday is enough.
This belt buckle is a playful homage to the champions of existence—the participants. Inspired by the grandiosity of rodeo championship buckles, this piece acknowledges that sometimes, the everyday is a win. Fabricated from thick (3/8") copper and brass, and finished with enamel, it is heavy, just like our daily tasks can be.

Participant (belt buckle) AUArts Grad Show IMG_2900
Participant (belt buckle) Copper, brass, enamel. 9 x 11 x 3 cm
Participant (belt buckle) AUArts Grad Show IMG_2898
Copper, brass, enamel. 9 x 11 x 3 cm
Participant (belt buckle) AUArts Grad Show IMG_0022
Copper, brass, enamel. 9 x 11 x 3 cm
Sheep Steel monobloc chair, plastic monobloc chairs.
Sheep Steel monobloc chair, plastic monobloc chairs.
Sheep Steel monobloc chair, plastic monobloc chairs.
Steel Monobloc Chair Welded and formed steel monobloc chair.

Sheep

Sheep AUArts Grad Show Sheep
Sheep Steel monobloc chair, plastic monobloc chairs.
Sheep AUArts Grad Show IMG_7800
Sheep Steel monobloc chair, plastic monobloc chairs.
Sheep AUArts Grad Show IMG_7798
Sheep Steel monobloc chair, plastic monobloc chairs.
Sheep AUArts Grad Show IMG_7987
Steel Monobloc Chair Welded and formed steel monobloc chair.
Driftwood Bronze (15 x 40 x 18 cm), Pallet wood (34 x 132 x 27 cm)
The Chrysalides Plywood, steel, concrete. 17 x 125 x 17 cm and 71 x 136 x 40 cm.
Untitled Bronze, mousetrap. 1.5 x 8 x 4 cm
Untitled Concrete, log. 38 x 38 x 38 cm
Eriosion Water, plastic jug, clay, salt mineral lick, steel toolbox.
Tides Concrete, rebar, wire. 165 x 150 x 165 cm

Sculpture

Additional work

Sculpture AUArts Grad Show 03_Driftwood
Driftwood Bronze (15 x 40 x 18 cm), Pallet wood (34 x 132 x 27 cm)
Sculpture AUArts Grad Show IMG_7848
The Chrysalides Plywood, steel, concrete.
17 x 125 x 17 cm and 71 x 136 x 40 cm.
Sculpture AUArts Grad Show mouse_
Untitled Bronze, mousetrap. 1.5 x 8 x 4 cm
Sculpture AUArts Grad Show 02_Untitled_Cube
Untitled Concrete, log. 38 x 38 x 38 cm
Sculpture AUArts Grad Show Erosion
Eriosion Water, plastic jug, clay, salt mineral lick, steel toolbox.
Sculpture AUArts Grad Show IMG_3982 2
Tides Concrete, rebar, wire. 165 x 150 x 165 cm

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