ARTIST KEEN TO PUT JT ON HIS CV
IT would take four months to cast North Queensland Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston into bronze to create a statue in his honour.
Brisbane artist Phillip Piperides is the man behind the bronze statue of Darren Lockyer at Suncorp Stadium and says he would be interested in any commission for a Thurston statue.
“I’m a fan, I watch the games,” he said. “He’s an action man so it’d be an action pose.”
Piperides is also behind bronze sculptures of the Bee Gees at Redcliffe, the Steve Irwin memorial at Australia Zoo, Victoria’s Kokoda Mates statue and likenesses of numerous government figures.
He said it typically took him and his team three months to create a life- size clay model, which would then go through approvals before being cast in bronze.
“Generally I get a couple of months to create the artwork ... it depends if the subject is available and how we’re doing it,” he said.
“With the Bee Gees sculpture, Barry Gibbs was co- ordinating that from the ( United) States.
“Sometimes we do it from images ... we can do poses it they’re able to.
“There’s a team involved ... there are four people on these jobs.”
Piperides said there was always a lot of interest around the creation process of NRL stars’ bronze likenesses.
“There’s always a buzz of course because of the nature of the people who are in the industry,” he said. “It’s very exciting.” Convener of the North Queensland Cowboys Supporters Facebook page Kym Prest said she believed a bronze statue of Thurston would be a great addition to the new stadium.
“I think if there’s going to be one it needs to be done when the stadium opens,” she said.
“I’ve just come back from Suncorp Stadium and the ones they have down there are a feature in themselves.
“People come to see them and take photographs.”
Ms Prest said even if Suncorp Stadium ended up doing their own bronze statue of Thurston, Townsville deserved one too. “Who cares if there’s two of them?” she said. “He’s a
legend.”
A stakeholder meeting about the stadium will be held in Townsville this week.
A spokeswoman for Stadiums Queensland said monthly stakeholder workshop meetings are held in Townsville with relevant parties, including members of the North Queensland Cowboys, architects and other local representatives.
“With early site works under way, next week’s agenda includes detailed information around stadium internal and external design and early discussion about venue operations,” she said.
“Stadiums Queensland will not be responsible for determining whether a statue is commissioned but would work with all relevant stakeholders regarding any future proposals.”