Ante Dabro

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.

Ante Dabro at work in his studio at Canberra Airport, 2011. Behind (L-R) are the full sized models for "Genesis", "Resilience", the unassembled pieces of "Mother and Child", and his Australian Silky Terrier, Chico.

Royal Australian Navy Memorial, Anzac Parade, Canberra

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'.^[1]

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:^[2]
  • 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,^[3] all dated 2005^[4]
  • a bronze figure Genesis (2009), unveiled 2009-06-02 by the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce.^[5]
• Canberra City
  • "Resilience" (2009)
• Saint Matthew, (1984), St Matthew's Roman Catholic Church, Page, ACT

• 
  Susanne (2005), life-sized bronze nude, sits on a wall beside a reflecting pond, BBP.
• 
  Dancer (2005), 1.5 life-sized bronze nude, in a reflecting pool, BBP.
• 
  The Bathers (2005), two 1.5 life-sized bronze nudes, in a reflecting pool, BBP.
• 
  Genesis (2008/9); 1.5 life-sized bronze nude, eastern end of BBP.
• 
  Genesis signature incorporating the face of Chiko (Australian Silky Terrier)
• 
  St Matthew, (1984); life-size bronze.
• 
  Standing figure, (1981–82); 3/4-to-full life size bronze.
• 
  Sisters , (1985), two life-sized bronze nudes, Queensland Art Gallery
• 
  Bronze statues by Ante Dabro, Qantas gates, Canberra Airport

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 Paris^[6])
• 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,^[7] in the local media it was attributed to Ante Dabro.^[8] Yet, it had been attributed correctly weeks earlier by another outlet to Danish artist, Keld Moseholm^[9] 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

1. Ante Dabro: Croatian born-Australian Sculptor Archived 19 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine, Dr Peter Read, Australian National University, accessed 29 January 2008
2. Sculpture on Acton Campus (brochure), Australian National University, accessed 29 January 2008
3. The Bathers unveiled Archived 29 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine, The Hub magazine, Canberra Airport, February 2006, accessed 29 January 2008
4. Artist in residence Archived 13 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Brindabella Business Park website, accessed 2009-08-23
5. Governor General of Australia to open sculpture by world-renowned Artist Ante Dabro Archived 13 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, media release, 2009-06-02, accessed 2009-08-23
6. details of the bust of Jean-François de Galaup, Art@Site, accessed 2024-02-07
7. Petrie Plaza sculpture vandalised again, figure stolen, Stephanie Anderson and Ben Westcott, The Canberra Times, 9 December 2013
8. Stairway sculpture hit again by thieves in Civic, ABC News Online, 9 December 2013
9. Little guys are back with some big-time protection, Helena Virgo, The Canberra Times, 30 October 2013, accessed 9 December 2013

External links

• Dabro's web site
• Recent works