Sollai Cartwright
Sollai Cartwight is a brilliant young sculptor who works for the most part in Carrara marble.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. His passion is for white Carrara marble, the marble Michelangelo sought for The David and the Pieta. 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. I feel that when I create with freedom I am adding goodness to the universe. I live by this philosophy, dedicating myself to the purpose” 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 and the stone’s desires are as important as his own. The works therefore establish themselves in very organic and evocative forms. Sollai has shown in Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, Italy and the UK. He recently exhibited in Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe in March and will again in October in Bondi later this year. In 2018 he was invited by the Honourable Alexander Downer to represent Australian artists and showed in the Exhibition Hall of Australia House, London, celebrating the centenary of the buildings construction on the Strand. Sollai showed in Art Central Hong Kong in 2018. He has a major piece in the esteemed Bei Wu Sculpture Park. Sollai has had solo exhibitions with MARS gallery Melbourne, 2016, Hardman Gallery Berlin 2018, and private shows in collectors gardens and art salons in Hong Kong and Berlin. Sollai is placed in major private collections and his works are well collected in Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, Holland and Italy.