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Sculptor of Balance and Revelation
John Milder, born in 1951, is an Australian sculptor whose journey through art has become a quest for personal evolution and self-realization. Originally based in Melbourne, Milder's practice is a convergence of music, philosophy, and mathematics, all manifesting in his distinctive sculptures known for their harmony, geometric precision, and subtle interplay between masculine and feminine energies.
Milder’s devotion to sculpture is deeply personal. He describes the act of creation as a transformative process, noting, “When I am engaged in creating art, I feel fully alive and captivated by the unfolding revelation of the work.” His figures are dynamic yet reflective, embodying an almost meditative patience—a trait inherited from his father, a skilled jeweller, and further refined through his own engineering background. This technical foundation lends his works a rare sense of structural integrity and balance.
Throughout his career, Milder has explored dualities. His sculptures in stainless steel and bronze are simultaneously complex and accessible, static and kinetic. When he turns to drawing, his pieces metamorphose into “symbolic, geometric and calligraphic” compositions, while his spontaneous works channel “passionate and fluid” lines, each approach indicative of his diverse creative drive.
After his first exhibition in Melbourne in 1990, Milder moved to New York City in 1992, living and exhibiting until 1996. The vibrancy of New York expanded his artistic language, but the call of home brought him back to Melbourne, where he married and began a family. Over the decades, his works have entered numerous private and institutional collections, with commissions displayed in most Australian capitals, and his practice now finds him residing in Israel.
Among the works currently offered, "LUNETTE - 1997" stands as a compelling cross-section of Milder’s style and philosophy. The title itself, “LUNETTE”—French for ‘little moon’ or ‘crescent’—suggests a play on cycles, transformations, and the interplay between light and shadow.
This sculpture embodies Milder’s fascination with geometric grace and organic forms. The work’s curvature evokes lunar phases, symbolizing renewal and continual evolution. Its fluid lines and carefully balanced structure reference Milder’s engineering heritage while remaining deeply lyrical—a harmony between the calculated and the intuitive.
"LUNETTE" is a visual meditation on transitions. The balanced yet dynamic form prompts viewers to consider states of being: masculine and feminine, static and dynamic, light and dark. It invites us to reflect on the interconnectedness that Milder expresses as a core of his artistic philosophy—a revelation that unfolds with every angle and contour of the piece.
John’s sculptures are held in numerous prominent private and corporate collections, both in Australia and internationally.
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