Polly Borland

The Collingwood Gallery in Melbourne (Naarm) hosted a dynamic collection titled "We Are Family," which invited visitors to engage with the works in person or through an online viewing room. Polly Borland's exhibition provided insight into her unique practice. Known for her ability to push the boundaries between abstraction and figuration, Borland created a series of playful and profound sculptures.

In the exhibition, the sculptures, each nearly two feet tall and coated in various matte finishes, continued the originality that has always defined Borland's work. Despite their abstract forms, there's a sense of "humanness" to these figures, as if they embody a family of characters, each with their own distinct personalities. The names—Smiley, Ellie, Jolly—suggest an endearing quality, making them feel almost alive, each radiating a unique presence within the gallery space.

The artist and her team 3D-scanned models to create the various shapes and forms of 'We Are Family'. Our team cast the work from the scans in aluminium using a lost wax casting technique. The sculptures were then finished with matte automotive paint.