An array of freestanding and wall sculptures define painter and sculptor, Amanda Shadforth’s collection of works entitled, “Utopia”. A countenance of form and fabrication, Shadforth worked in delicate polymer, paint and plaster to create extruded shapes that replicate the finish of traditional sculptural media, such as wood, cast concrete and wrought steel. An intriguing trompe l’oeil, the effect simulates materials known for their rigidity—a deception in three dimensions.

The shapes of industrialisation are presented through sculptural abstraction. Each piece is a dichotomy of materials: chemical versus organic, feminine versus masculine. Each sculpture emerges from the wall or its wooden plinth to offer depth and shadow, prompting the viewer to question its relationship with the object and to provoke the inherent discourse on form and function.

The need for each object to feel handmade dictated the process, imbued with brushstrokes its painted finish has a creamy unevenness, a weathered appearance to reflect the artist’s intentions. Each piece’s edges appear almost traced by hand where a fine shadow line defines the plane of each component. While no doubt influenced by the Bauhaus movement, each sculpture lacks architectural precision, and instead, evokes subconscious childhood recollections.

Shadforth’s work evolves best from peaceful reflection through the freedom of creation. “Utopia” is Shadforth’s reflection on her childhood isolation in Queensland’s cane fields and the need for artistic utility through proximity. The weight of the object appears to defy the laws of physics through each composition, each an unapologetic dream of escape.