Rooster | 2020

Jimmy Rix

I was born in 1971 in Allora, Queensland, and my sculptural practice is shaped by the Australian landscape and its stories. Using bronze and steel, I create narrative-based works that blend humour, satire, and environmental commentary—often through playful depictions of animals and rural life.

My sculptures range from small bronzes to large public commissions, inviting reflection on our relationship with nature. Exhibited widely across Australia and internationally, I aim to spark conversation through familiar forms made strange, reminding viewers of the beauty, absurdity, and fragility of our environment.

Awards & Prizes
Jimmy Rix has received widespread recognition for his inventive sculptural works, earning multiple awards that highlight both technical excellence and conceptual strength.

In 2023, he was awarded the Allen Family Indoor Acquisitive Award at the Gippsland Sculpture Prize and the Disruption Award at the Lake Lights Sculpture Exhibition in Jindabyne.

In previous years, he won the Waverley Council Mayor’s Award at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi (2019), and the Major Prize at the Gippsland Sculpture Exhibition (2019). Additional accolades include Major Prize wins at Lake Lights Sculpture Prize in both 2014 and 2015, as well as a Highly Commended at Sculpture in the Valley, Kangaroo Valley (2015), and Sculpture on the Greens, Wyong (2015). Earlier career highlights include winning the Delta Sculpture Prize (2012) and a Highly Commended at Aroma’s Art Prize, Noosa (1999).

Public Commissions
Rix’s distinctive public artworks are featured across Australia and internationally. Notable commissions include Colossus of the Silk Road (2020) for the Minqin International Sculpture Park in China and Road Kill (2020) for the Sculpture Down the Lachlan trail, Forbes, NSW.

Other major works include Stopping to Smell the Flowers (2018), commissioned by artsACT for Canberra, Rozelle Fire Memorial (2016), Sydney, and Whistle Stop (2014), commissioned by Transport NSW for the Leichhardt Light Rail. His commissions frequently integrate humour and environmental storytelling, such as Sheepish (2012) for Landcom and Blacktown Council, and The Race (2013), Doonside, NSW.

Collections
His work is held in several significant collections, including Parliament House, Canberra, and the Estate of James Fairfax AC, as well as in private and public collections throughout Australia and abroad.

Solo Exhibitions
Jimmy Rix has held 14 solo exhibitions, most recently Sculpture, Ceramics and Jewellery (2024) at Australian Galleries, Melbourne. Other notable solo shows include Symbiosis (2022, Sydney), Domestic and Feral (2020, Melbourne), and Chivalry, Myths and Dreaming (2019, Melbourne). Earlier solo exhibitions span respected venues in Sydney, Melbourne, regional Queensland, and Dublin, Ireland.

Selected Group Exhibitions
Rix has exhibited in over 60 group exhibitions. He is a regular participant in major sculpture festivals including Sculpture by the Sea (Bondi and Cottesloe, various years from 2004–2024), Gippsland Sculpture Prize (ongoing), Lake Lights Sculpture Prize, Montalto Sculpture Prize, and Swell Sculpture Festival. Internationally, he exhibited at the 3rd International Desert Sculpture Symposium, Minqin, China (2020), and participated in Cultural Exchange, Kaede Gallery, Osaka, Japan (2025). His work has also been featured in prominent regional shows such as Sculpture in the Vines, Sculpture at Hillview, Sculpture on the Edge, and Floriade.

Rix’s consistent inclusion in prestigious exhibitions and his numerous public commissions reflect a deeply engaged and widely respected sculptural practice that bridges humour, social commentary, and environmental themes with exceptional craftsmanship