Silvio Apponyi OAM (born 4 July 1949) is an Australian sculptor based in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, who focuses primarily on Animalier.

Early life and education

Apponyi was born on 4 July 1949 in a refugee camp in Dachau, near Munich, migrating to Australia during infancy. He claimed his father Albert Frederick (Frigyes) Apponyi descended from an illegitimate line of the Apponyi family.^[1]

The family moved to Adelaide, and Apponyi had a difficult home life. He started wood carving when he was about five years old. He attended Woodville High School, where he was encouraged to apply for a scholarship to art school.^[1]

Career

Apponyi studied sculpture at the North Adelaide School of Arts, and during that time won a German Academic Exchange Scholarship (DAAD), and went on to study for a year at the Munich Academy.^[1]

Since then he has had one-man shows and group exhibitions locally, interstate and overseas. He has won several prizes, accepted commissions, conducted workshops in Australia and Malaysia, and studied wood-block printmaking under a Japanese master. His work is featured in many private collections both here and overseas and in public spaces across Australia.^[1]

Apponyi was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours for "service to the visual arts as a sculptor".^[2]

Apponyi lives and works from his studio located at Balhannah in South Australia.^[3]

Major commissions

1981: University of Adelaide's Waite Institute ”Aries"

1985: Goulburn NSW, ”The Big Merino" & St Patrick's College, Goulburn, life-sized "St Patrick"

1986: St Dominic's College, North Adelaide "St Dominic"

1988: Tamworth NSW, Bi-centennial Park, 67 stone sculptures & reliefs

1989: State Bank Tower, Adelaide "laminated Wooden Relief"

1990: Mt Annan Botanic Garden NSW, sundial of human involvement – with Sundials SA, Flinders University of SA, bronze & marble \”Squid & Prey\” Kingston SE SA, Maria Creek beautification, granite sculptures & sundial Berri SA, \”A Special Place for Jimmy James\” – with Bluey Roberts

1991 – 2006: Mitsubishi National Basketball League Trophy

1992: Henley Beach Catholic Church, "Mary with Child" (RAIA Award), Granite Island "Sea lion carved in Situ" & Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria ”Laughing Kookaburras"

1993: Adelaide Zoo "Sealion", Victor Harbor ”Whale Tail", Flinders University ”Woman Washing her Hair", Ashford Special School "Relief Carving on Granite" Townsend School for the Blind, "Birdbath with Bronze Tortoise"

1994: Keswick SA "Wedgetailed Eagle" Regency College of TAFE "Marine Sculpture"

1996: Wagga Wagga "Waterbirds & Goannas", Lutheran Homes "Granite Fountain", Healesville Sanctuary "Kangaroo and Emu with Chicks"

1997: Spring Hill Estate SA, wooden carvings, stone reliefs, bronze sculptures, Burnside Shopping Village, Granite Fountain Monarto Zoological Park SA, granite & bronze goanna birdbath (donated by the artist)

1998: Dudley Park SA, Children\'s Cemetery, bronze Pelican & Chicks Eden Hills SA, Colebrook Home site, granite \”Fountain of Tears\”collaboration with indigenous artists

1999: BRL Hardy\'s Banrock Station Wine & Wetlands Centre, Kingston-on-Murray SA, bronze Pelican & Chicks University of Adelaide\'s Waite Institute, bronze West Highland White Terrier for Greg Johns\’ tribute to Mr Waite Eden Hills SA, Colebrook Home site, life-sized bronze \”Grieving Mother\” collaboration with Shereen Rankine Darwin NT, Heritage Walk drinking fountain with Chinese theme, collaboration with Aladar Apponyi

2000: Thredbo Village NSW, life-sized bronze Eastern Wombat & Grey Kangaroo Gilles Street Primary School, Adelaide, Demonstrated granite-carving on boulders which form landscaping for C. Lawrence\'s mural Cleland Wildlife Park, Adelaide Hills SA, life-sized bronze Koala

2001: Parliament House, Canberra, green marble Lizard Burnside Shopping Village SA, granite water feature with 3 elements

2002: Victor Harbor SA, bronze Penguins for gateway to Granite Island (\”Kaiki\”), w Martin Corbin SANBL Headquarters, bronze bust of former player Mark Davis Mikawomma Reserve, Woodville Gdns SA, series of relief carvings. Collaboration w Potter/Minuzzo. Design Institute Award

2003: Mt Gambier SA, Kimberley Clark foyer, limestone relief, Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos for Landscaping

2004: North Adelaide SA, St Dominic\'s Priory College, Water Feature and Relief of Young Kaurna girl

2005: Adelaide Convention Centre, River Torrens Precinct, Meals on Wheels 50th Anniversary SA, 2.6m x 4m granite relief Scotch College, Torrens Park SA, granite relief \”Technology and Science\”

2006: Mt Barker District Council Walking Trail SA, Redgum Mother & Toddler \”Catherine & Allana\” carved in situ

2007: September Maroochy Qld, 3 week residency to carve granite sculptures for Botanic Gardens.

2007: October to Elliston, Eyre Peninsula to give workshops at Sculpture on the Cliffs, Mt Gambier SA, \”Memories in a Suitcase\”, 2m high granite memorial to migrant settlers

2009: Peterborough SA, \”Bob the Railway Dog\’

2010: February St Mark\'s College, North Adelaide, \”Flame of Learning\” white marble column.

References

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