Artist-in-Conversation
Subhra Mazumdar

Beyond the pale of Indian participation, Handley confirmed that his project
had drawn worldwide attention due partly to the openness of the call. ‘Anyone
in the world can apply and so far, 550 artists, four curators,10 choices of sites and
interaction with eminent people in the visual arts world internationally, have
excited people to come forth to join in this scheme,’ he reiterates. Keen to invite
foreign artists to Australia, Handley has now turned the event into a major tourist
attraction on Australian shores.
Urged on to continue this artistic dialogue, Handley reasons: ’People should
communicate with people around the world. I wanted to free the event of being
just an art show and reach out to people worldwide with the message that our
country is a civilized country. The sculptures were like a drama and their location
on the beach brought back the theatricality of sculpture. ‘ That it has been a
runaway success is collated by his statement: ‘In the first year of its installation
over half a million people visited the sculptures over 18 days and now it is a two
million dollar budget behind the show. ‘