Mike Hewson
Born1985
Occupationvisual artist
Notable works2022 Rocks On Wheels, Southbank, City of Melbourne, AU

2022 Pockets Park, Leichhardt, Inner West Council, AU

2020 St Peters Fences, St Peters, Inner West Council, AU

2019 Lawson Poole Block Stack, City of Casey, AU

2018 Placed Illawarra Landscape, City of Wollongong, AU
Notable awards2023 Winner, AILA National Award of Excellence

2020 Winner, Playspace Of The Year (<$0.5M), PLA National

2018 Winner, Playspace Of The Year (<$0.5M), PLA NSW/ACT

2014 Finalist, NAB Emerging Artist, Art Month Sydney

2013 Winner 'Best Artist', FBi SMAC Awards, Sydney

2010 Finalist, Anthony Harper Award, COCA, Christchurch
Website
https://mikehewson.co.nz/

Mike Hewson is a New Zealand visual artist specialising in public installations. Hewson has experience in structural engineering and heavy-civil construction.[1] He received a bachelor of engineering from the University of Canterbury in 2007 and later, a master of fine arts (MFA) from Columbia University in 2016.[2] Hewson has completed projects in Aukland, Makaurau, Melbourne, Sydney, Ashburton, Wollongong, New York, Moscow, Christchurch, Pilbara, and Dunedin.

Early Life

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Hewson was born in 1985 in Dunedin, New Zealand.[3]

Education & Career

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On August 5, 2022,[4] Hewson gave a TED talk for TEDxSydney titled Playing with risk: The dangers of thinking safe. Hewson discussed his philosophy on risk-taking, arguing that risk and exploratory behaviour should be encouraged in a public setting. He explains how he incorporates this idea in his playground designs.[5]

In 2024, Hewson joined the Newington College Artists Residency Program. He worked closely with visual arts students of the college and featured artworks at the Turning Lessons: With Heads and Hands exhibition, hosted by Concordia Art Gallery. The opening night of the exhibition took place on March 21, 2024.[6]

Notable Works

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Illawarra Placed Landscape at Crown Street Mall, Wollongong

Crown Street Mall (2018)

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Illawarra Placed Landscape is a public artwork in Wollongong. It features a 17-metre tall 'palm pole'.[7]

St Peters Fences (2020)

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St Peters Fences playground is a playspace and public artwork in Simpson Park, St Peters, Sydney.[8][9] The playground was opened in late 2020.[10] The cost of the project was $320,000.[11]

Palm Hoop #1 (2021)

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Palm Hoop #2 (2024), displayed at the Fountains presentation in Aukland.[12]

Rocks on Wheels (2022)

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Rocks on Wheels is a public artwork and playspace located at Southbank Boulevard in Southbank, Melbourne. The playground was inspired by the photograph with the same name by American photographer Diane Arbus.[13] The installation features several large Victorian bluestone boulders, together weighing over 300 tons.[14] The playground has been considered to challenge conventions of playground design, allowing visitors to embrace risk-taking.[15]

Pockets Park (2022)

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Fountains (2024)

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Awards

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Year Project Award Position Reference
2023 Rocks on Wheels (2022) AILA National Award of Excellence (Category: Civic Landscape) Winner [16]
2020 St Peters Fences (2020) PLA Playspace of the Year (<$500,000) Winner
2018 Illawarra Placed Landscape (2018) PLA Playspace of the Year (<$500,000) Winner
2014 N/A NAB Emerging Artist Finalist [17]

Accident & Disaster Response

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mike Hewson". TEDxSydney. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  2. ^ "ARTIST BIO | Mike Hewson". mikehewson.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  3. ^ "The Sublime Structures Of Mike Hewson". Esquire Australia. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  4. ^ "TEDxSydney | TED". www.ted.com. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  5. ^ "Playing with risk: The dangers of thinking safe | Mike Hewson". TEDxSydney. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  6. ^ "Mike Hewson joins Turning Lessons: With Head and Hands – Newington College". Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  7. ^ Wong, Emily (24 April 2018). "New public artwork brings local landscape into Wollongong mall". Landscape Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  8. ^ "St Peters Fences Playspace". Planning. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  9. ^ "St Peters Fences, Simpson Park, SYDNEY | Mike Hewson". mikehewson.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  10. ^ "Simpson Park upgrade completed | Simpson Park Upgrade". Your Say Inner West. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  11. ^ "Work starts on artist-designed Simpson Park upgrade | Westconnex". www.westconnex.com.au. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  12. ^ "Fountains, Michael Lett, Auckland | Mike Hewson". mikehewson.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  13. ^ "Southbank Boulevard Play Space - What's On Melbourne". whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  14. ^ "Rocks On Wheels, Southbank, Melbourne | Mike Hewson". mikehewson.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  15. ^ Brennan, Bede (19 March 2023). "Discovery and daring: Rocks on Wheels". Landscape Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Media Release - Australia's top landscapes revealed at national awards". www.aila.org.au. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  17. ^ "JULIAN DAY FINALIST IN NAB PRIVATE WEALTH EMERGING ARTIST AWARD | Home@735". homeat735.com.au. Retrieved 2024-05-19.