Collecting Fur to Line the Nest Two by Jimmy Rix
74 Common Road Dungog, NSW, 2420, Australia [View Map]This striking corten steel sculpture at Dungog Common Recreation Reserve depicts a moment of symbiosis—a kangaroo providing fur for Brown Headed Honey Eaters to line their nest.
As the winner of the 2023 Sculpture on the Farm Inc Acquisitive Prize, this piece (edition two of three) celebrates the intricate relationships within Australia’s ecosystem.
Born in 1971 in Allora, Queensland, Jimmy Rix grew up on a cattle and crop property where life on the Darling Downs shaped his artistic vision. His deep connection to the Australian landscape and its creatures emerged from childhood experiences among sacred Aboriginal sites and close encounters with native wildlife.
Rix’s narrative-based sculptures feature recurring protagonists from his personal experiences—rebellious kangaroos, majestic owls, household pets, and wild visitors like foxes and ravens. Now based in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges on Dja Dja Wurrung country, he continues creating while managing a small cattle operation.
With major commissions across Australia—from the Parliament House Art Collection to public installations for artsACT and Transport NSW—Rix has established himself as a significant voice in Australian sculpture. His solo exhibitions, including “Symbiosis” (2022) and “Domestic and Feral” (2020) at Australian Galleries, complement appearances in prestigious group exhibitions like Sculpture by the Sea.
Through “Collecting Fur to Line the Nest 2,” Rix invites visitors to consider our role in preserving the delicate symbiotic relationships that sustain Australia’s unique biodiversity.
