Silvio Apponyi OAM (born 4 July 1949) is an Australian sculptor based in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, noted for depictions of animals.

Silvio Apponyi
Born
Albert Silvio Apponyi

(1949-07-04) 4 July 1949 (age 75)
NationalityAustralian
Alma materAcademy of Fine Arts, Munich, SA School of Art
OccupationSculptor
Years active1969–present
Notable workWhale Tail, Bob the Railway Dog, Flame of Learning, Memories in a Suitcase
SpouseNatalija Apponyi
Children4
Websitewww.apponyi.net

Early life and education

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Apponyi was born on 4 July 1949 in a refugee camp in Dachau, near Munich, migrating to Australia during infancy. His father Albert Frederick (Frigyes) Apponyi claimed descent from an illegitimate line of the Apponyi family.[1]

The family moved to Adelaide, and Apponyi had a difficult home life. He started wood carving when he was about five years old. He attended Woodville High School, where he was encouraged to apply for a scholarship to art school.[1]

Career

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Apponyi studied sculpture at the North Adelaide School of Arts, and during that time won a German Academic Exchange Scholarship (DAAD), and went on to study for a year at the Munich Academy.[1]

Since then he has had one-man shows and group exhibitions locally, interstate and overseas. He has won several prizes, accepted commissions, conducted workshops in Australia and Malaysia, and studied wood-block printmaking under a Japanese master. His work is featured in many private collections both here and overseas and in public spaces across Australia.[1]

Apponyi was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours for "service to the visual arts as a sculptor".[2]

Apponyi lives and works from his studio located at Balhannah in South Australia.[3]

Major commissions

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The Big Merino, Goulburn
 
Bob the Railway Dog, Peterborough
1981
1985
1986
1988
1989
1990
1991 – 2006
  • Mitsubishi National Basketball League Trophy
1992
1993
1994
1996
1997
  • Spring Hill Estate SA, wooden carvings, stone reliefs, bronze sculptures
  • Burnside Shopping Village, granite fountain
  • Monarto Zoological Park SA, granite & bronze goanna birdbath (donated by the artist)
1998
  • Dudley Park SA, Children's Cemetery, bronze Pelican & Chicks
  • Eden Hills SA, Colebrook Home site, granite Fountain of Tears collaboration with Indigenous Artists
1999
  • BRL Hardy's Banrock Station Wine & Wetlands Centre, Kingston-on-Murray SA, bronze Pelican & Chicks
  • University of Adelaide's Waite Institute, bronze West Highland White Terrier for Greg Johns' tribute to Peter Waite
  • Eden Hills SA, Colebrook Home site, life-sized bronze Grieving Mother collaboration with Shereen Rankine
  • Darwin NT, Heritage Walk drinking fountain with Chinese theme, collaboration with Aladar Apponyi
2000
  • Thredbo Village NSW, life-sized bronze Eastern Wombat & Grey Kangaroo
  • Gilles Street Primary School, Adelaide, demonstrated granite-carving on boulders which form landscaping for C. Lawrence's mural
  • Cleland Wildlife Park, Adelaide Hills SA, life-sized bronze Koala
2001
  • Parliament House, Canberra, green marble lizard
  • Burnside Shopping Village SA, granite water feature with 3 elements
2002
  • Victor Harbor SA, bronze Penguins for gateway to Granite Island ("Kaiki"), w/ Martin Corbin
  • SANBL Headquarters, bronze bust of former player Mark Davis
  • Mikawomma Reserve, Woodville Gardens SA, series of relief carvings. Collaboration w/ Potter/Minuzzo. Design Institute Award
2003
  • Mt Gambier SA, Kimberley Clark foyer, limestone relief, Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos for Landscaping
2004
2005
  • Adelaide Convention Centre, River Torrens Precinct, Meals on Wheels 50th Anniversary SA, 2.6m x 4m granite relief
  • Scotch College, Torrens Park SA, granite relief Technology and Science
2006
  • Mt Barker District Council Walking Trail SA, Redgum Mother & Toddler Catherine & Allana carved in situ
2007
  • September: Maroochy Qld, 3 week residency to carve granite sculptures for Botanic Gardens
  • October: Elliston, Eyre Peninsula, to give workshops at "Sculpture on the Cliffs"
  • Mt Gambier SA, Memories in a Suitcase, 2m high granite memorial to migrant settlers
2009
2010

Notes

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  1. ^ Goulburn architect Garry Dutaillis designed the frame; Apponyi fleshed out the shape with rods, and Adelaide builder Glyn Sennar and his crew of concreters applied the skin and cement coat.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Jenny Palmer (March 2000). "Full transcript of an interview with Silvio Apponyi" (PDF). J.D. Somerville Oral History Collection (OH 562). State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 8 June 2020. For the Eminent Australians Oral History Project
  2. ^ "Albert Silvio APPONYI". Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  3. ^ Morse, Dana; Lysaght, Gary-Jon (7 June 2020). "South Australian 2020 Queen's Birthday honours recipients announced". ABC. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 June 2020.

Sources

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"Silvio Apponyi – Bungendore Wood Works Gallery". bungendorewoodworks.com.au.
"Silvio Apponyi – Sculptor". apponyi.net.
"Adelaide Hills International Sculpture Symposium". adelaidehillssculpture.com.au.
Gallery, Art Images. "Silvio Apponyi". artimagesgallery.com.au.
"Silvio Apponyi at Yallingup Galleries". yallingupgalleries.com.au.