Silvio Apponyi

Australian sculptor

Silvio Apponyi OAM
Born	Albert Silvio Apponyi (1949-07-04) 4 July 1949 (age 74) Bavaria, Germany
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, SA School of Art
Occupation	Sculptor
Years active	1969–present
Notable work	Whale Tail, Bob the Railway Dog, Flame of Learning, Memories in a Suitcase
Spouse	Natalija Apponyi
Children	4
Website	www.apponyi.net

Silvio Apponyi OAM (born 4 July 1949) is an Australian sculptor based in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, noted for depictions of animals.

Early life and education

Apponyi was born on 4 July 1949 in a refugee camp in Dachau, near Munich, migrating to Australia during infancy. His father Albert Frederick (Frigyes) Apponyi claimed descent 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^[a]
St Patrick's College, Goulburn, life-sized St Patrick

1986

St Dominic's College, North Adelaide St Dominic

1988

Tamworth, New South Wales, Bicentennial 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, Hope Valley, 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 Peter 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 Gardens 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, Adelaide, 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
October: 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

Notes

^ Goulburn architect Garry Dutaillis designed the frame; Apponyi fleshed out the shape with rods, and Adelaide builder Glyn Sennar and his crew of concreters applied the skin and cement coat.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Jenny Palmer (March 2000). "Full transcript of an interview with Silvio Apponyi" (PDF). J.D. Somerville Oral History Collection (OH 562). State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 8 June 2020. For the Eminent Australians Oral History Project
^ "Albert Silvio APPONYI". Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
^ Morse, Dana; Lysaght, Gary-Jon (7 June 2020). "South Australian 2020 Queen's Birthday honours recipients announced". ABC. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 June 2020.