On a beautiful summers day in early January this year I met with David Ng one of the two owners, (the other of course is Peter Wilmot Thompson) of the Wesenberg Sculpture Park and Mig Dann, Sculptor, to present my work as a portrait photographer. The invitation to record one of Australia's eminent Sculptors for a permanent display in Germany was a wonderful lifetime opportunity. I thought about the meeting for along time preparing three sections. Firstly the photo essay I had already created for the Inge King Book by Macmillan, my work as an artist and thirdly my work through fabrics. Once my presentation was completed David looked at me offering me the creation of the photographic exhibition of the six gallery rooms dedicated to Inge King in Wesenberg, Germany. David also offered me an Artist in Residence at the Sculpture Park in Germany, so it was two great honours in one lovely meeting.
The two images I have attached both have poetic moments connected to them, and the first I was aware at the time the other was to become apparent months later. In 1993 as I started to create the photo essay on Inge King which took six months of phones calls to negotiate with Inge King's eldest daughter Jo Tanake-King, as Inge had been in hospital. Through the photography session, Inge explained to me she was now ready to retire, at 97. Her eyes were starting to not be what they were and Inge was now a little tired.
The black and white image is a reminder of the day Inge explained her retirement. The colour portrait I was to discover more recently, in July\ 2016, that this was the last time Inge was to visit her home in Warrandyte from her now permanent home of Bupa in the area. Inge King passed away in April 2016 at over 100 years of age. I am so honoured to have met, and had a friendship with Inge.
Inge King in her studio 1993
http://kuenstlerbeiwu.com/project/sculpture-park-wesenberg/
http://migdann.com
Inge King in the home of Inge King and Graeme King, Warrandyte, December 2015