Carbone Sculpture

Some of the themes and creatures appearing in Reg’s drawings and prints have become familiar to the public.  One such image is the Carbone, which has appeared frequently since it’s conception.

Realising these figures in three dimensions is something Reg has toyed with over the years.  Some of his Mambo characters were made into promotional sculptures by Peter King and Hugh Ramage, who went by the name of Storage Man.  A few sculptures, inflatables and dirigibles based on his designs were made for the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics.  This is the first time he has created an editioned sculpture.

“I have enjoyed painting, drawing or making etchings of the carbone in a variety of settings since 1995. The shape of the car skull and the cracks, breaks and discolorations in the creamy ivory and ochre bone tones make it an interesting subject to draw or paint. The carbone also refers to the slow death of the petrol driven vehicle and the destructive fuels that power it. To make a carbone you need to remove the flesh from a late model sedan by soaking it in a very large vat of hydrochloric acid. This will give you something that closely resembles a human skull.”