2026 Palmer Sculpture Biennial

THE 2026 PALMER SCULPTURE BIENNIAL

Opens on Saturday March 14^th

An exciting selection of sculptures by twenty-nine outstanding artists will be on display in the Palmer Sculpture Landscape, opening March 14^th.

“Congratulations to Greg Johns on what he has created at Palmer.  This is a nationally important project with Australian sculpture in the Australian landscape.  It is also a huge undertaking that brings joy to many and a wonderful opportunity for the artists.

“The calibre of the artists and the sculptures exhibited at Palmer are a testament to its importance.”

David Handley AM, Founding CEO and Artistic Director, Sculpture by the Sea

Greg Johns                                               Guardian Figures                                                 Photo by Greg

“…. The terrain is untamed though much planting and revegetation has taken place in recent years. Nevertheless, it is the sense of vast space that is still a dominant feature. Consequently, exhibitors need to create works that either relate closely to the ground or that rise dramatically upwards to be seen as strong silhouettes in the landscape.

“Greg Johns deserves our gratitude and praise for his exceptional vision; Palmer is quintessentially Australian.”

Ken Scarlett OAM

Biennial Open Days

After the opening, the Biennial will be open to the public on weekends (11:00 – 5:30) and Wednesday afternoons (2:00 – 5:30) until Sunday April 12^th.  Entry is free, but catalogues will be on sale for $10. The Palmer Biennial is a CASH ONLY event. All money raised is for the ongoing restoration of the landscape and preparations for the 2028 Biennial.

For those who have not been there before, the property is 3.5 km down the Davenport Road which starts opposite the Hotel at Palmer on the way to Mannum.

What visitors can expect to see

The Biennial takes place in a 400 acre property in the hills outside the township of Palmer. Strolling over a rise in a landscape that includes escarpments, rocky outcrops and open countryside, and then suddenly encountering a striking sculpture is an unforgettable experience. In such a setting, these works have much greater impact than they could achieve in a Gallery.

Twenty-seven works from leading artists will be on display. Three are from overseas and three from interstate. The Biennial will also be an opportunity to see the works of two exciting emerging artists, Sakthivel Eakambaranathan and Scott Hawkland.

As in the past, the Palmer Sculpture Biennial takes the opportunity to honour the work of a senior artist who has been a shaping influence in contemporary sculpture. This year’s honoured Artist will be Carlotta Brunetti from Germany.

The artists

Overseas: Carlotta Brunetti (Germany), Titus Eichenberger (Switzerland) and Ivan Smith (United Kingdom).

Interstate: Geoffrey Bartlett (Victoria), David Jensz (NSW) and Johannes Pannekoek (WA).

South Australian: David Atkins, Liz Butler & John Woolford, Jan Clifford, Dr Maarten Daudeij, Eliana Della Flora, Sakthivel Eakambarnathan and Scott Hawkland (emerging artists), John Hayward, Greg Johns, Glenda Kent, David Kerr, Samuel Mulcahy, Niccy Pallant, Astra Parker, Liz Ports & Lisa Conolly, Will Powrie, Alan Todd, Westley Tully, Peter Walker, and Clancy Warner and Sian Watson

Ivan Smith   (UK artist)       “Order v Chaos”            recently installed for the 2026 Biennial     Photo by Ivan

The Palmer Biennial is a unique event

The first Palmer Sculpture Biennial was held in 2004, and since then the event has gained an impressive reputation both locally and internationally. It is now one of the longest, continually running sculpture exhibitions in the history of Australian sculpture.  Many people who have experienced past biennials now make a point of attending each new one.

The biennial is run by the artists. Rather than aiming to show a large number of works, the emphasis is on quality, artistic merit, and the way the works interact with an Australian environment.  A high priority is that visitors can engage with both sculpture and place.

Contact details:

Email the Palmer Project; palmersculpturebiennial@gmail.com

or phone Greg Johns - 0438807860 or Bill Clifford (08) 8398 0868

or visit our website, palmersculpturebiennial.org

Social Media:

Facebook Page:    https://www.facebook.com/Palmer-Sculpture-Biennial-105934194322103/

Instagram Tag:      https://www.instagram.com/palmersculpturebiennial/

Fire Safety

If a catastrophic fire warning is issued for the Murraylands Region by the CFS, the Palmer Landscape will be closed on that day. Please check before leaving home via the CFS Fire Danger Ratings site:

https://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/restrictions/total-fire-bans-ratings/

Click on the Murraylands Region (Number 6 on the map).