Ante Dabro (born 13 January 1938, Čavoglave, Croatia) is a Croatian-born Australian artist/sculptor and art teacher who has lived and worked in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory since the late 1960s.
Dabro's sculptures are typified by angular form; many are nudes and bronzes. His work is said to embody universal themes, "suffering, hope, sexuality, heroism, spirituality" but also silently acknowledge the 'outsider'.Ante Dabro: Croatian born-Australian Sculptor , Dr Peter Read, Australian National University, accessed 29 January 2008
He is the subject of the 2023 biography The Life and Work of Ante Dabro, Australian-Croatian Sculptor: The Midnight Sea in the Blood by Peter Read (historian).
Principal works
A selection of Dabro's works are listed:
Royal Australian Navy Memorial, Canberra - Sailors and Ships - Interaction and Interdependence (1986), unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on 1986-03-03, the 75th anniversary of the Navy. Australian National University:Sculpture on Acton Campus (brochure), Australian National University, accessed 29 January 2008 Contemplation (2002) - a response to the poetry of Judith Wright Sir Winston Churchill (2001) - Winston Churchill Trust Brindabella Business Park, Canberra Airport; these are in the collection of the airport's owner, Terry Snow, and are on loan to BBP: four bronzes at water features, Susanne, Dancer, and The Bathers,The Bathers unveiled , The Hub magazine, Canberra Airport, February 2006, accessed 29 January 2008 all dated 2005Artist in residence , Brindabella Business Park website, accessed 2009-08-23 a bronze figure Genesis (2009), unveiled 2009-06-02 by the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce.Governor General of Australia to open sculpture by world-renowned Artist Ante Dabro , media release, 2009-06-02, accessed 2009-08-23 Canberra City "Resilience" (2009) Saint Matthew, (1984), St Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, Page, ACT
Career 1964 - graduate, Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb 1966 - Master of Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, Zagreb 1967 - emigrated to Australia, settled in Canberra 1971-2004 - teacher, School of Art, Australian National University 1984-6 - commission, Royal Australian Navy Memorial, Anzac Parade, Canberra 1989 commission, Liberal Party of Australia, miniature bust of Sir Robert Menzies commission, Government of Australia, for French Bicentenary, sculpture of naval explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse (installed at the Promenade d'Australie in Parisdetails of the bust of Jean-François de Galaup, Art@Site, accessed 2024-02-07) 1999 - Retrospective solo exhibition, 1969–99, Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra 2005 - commissions, for Terry Snow and Canberra Airport
Staircase thefts On the Staircase is a group of four stylised male figures, progressively smaller as they are further up a staircase of diminishing size, all in bronze. The figures are each reading a book. It cost $80,000. After it was again vandalised,Petrie Plaza sculpture vandalised again, figure stolen, Stephanie Anderson and Ben Westcott, The Canberra Times, 9 December 2013 in the local media it was attributed to Ante Dabro.Stairway sculpture hit again by thieves in Civic, ABC News Online, 9 December 2013 Yet, it had been attributed correctly weeks earlier by another outlet to Danish artist, Keld MoseholmLittle guys are back with some big-time protection, Helena Virgo, The Canberra Times, 30 October 2013, accessed 9 December 2013 Dabro was quoted in local media, as being upset to the vandalism of art, perhaps adding to the confusion among the media. The smallest figure was removed on 8 December 2013, with the act visible on footage from a CCTV camera, with two women shown shortly before the theft. After the publicity, on the following day the figure was handed into a local ACT Police station.
References
External links
Dabro's web site Recent works