Vale Simon Barley, designer, artist

Much-respected Australian artist and designer, Simon Barley, died suddenly in August. Based in the remote Wimmera town of Natimuk in regional Victoria, Simon was founder and director of Bambuco, a company famous for constructing enormous bamboo installations.

Over the past 15 years Bambuco accepted commissions from major festivals throughout Europe and Asia. His ephemeral constructions would take centre stage, for anything from a week to six months, to suddenly disappear overnight. His website says that Simon judged the success of his work by the absence it created.

Lindy Allen, CEO of Regional Arts Victoria, says Barley was a rare individual who was a genuine leader and whose presence brought out the best in others. "He helped to found the very vibrant artistic community in Natimuk. He had a huge impact in the town and showed what can be achieved by an artist who chooses to live and work in a remote location. He drew lots of other artists to Natimuk and really helped to reinvigorate its social and cultural fabric.

"It is astonishing how many artists from Natimuk are involved in projects and festivals overseas, in particular Europe. Simon was one of those," Allen says.

One of the many highlights of Barley's career was his commission in 2004 by the City of Lille in Northern France for a series of massive sculptures to celebrate its title of European Cultural Capital. In 2005 he was awarded a two year Australia Council Fellowship.

The Australia Council's director of theatre, John Baylis, says Simon Barley was a truly original artist. "Coming from a background in theatre design, he taught himself the craft skills of bamboo scaffolding work to create his own artistic form which he called 'aerial construction as performance'. He has been internationally acclaimed for his work, especially in France, but his success did not lead to compromise or repetition. His work was always an exploration premised on uncertainty: each one was an original creation, a risky investigation of the potential of a particular public site."

Simon Barley



Vale Simon Barley, designer, artist Much-respected Australian artist and designer, Simon Barley, died suddenly in August. Based in the remote Wimmera town of Natimuk in regional Victoria, Simon was founder and director of Bambuco, a company famous for constructing enormous bamboo installations. Over the past 15 years Bambuco accepted commissions from major festivals throughout Europe and Asia. His ephemeral constructions would take centre stage, for anything from a week to six months, to suddenly disappear overnight. His website says that Simon judged the success of his work by the absence it created. Lindy Allen, CEO of Regional Arts Victoria, says Barley was a rare individual who was a genuine leader and whose presence brought out the best in others. "He helped to found the very vibrant artistic community in Natimuk. He had a huge impact in the town and showed what can be achieved by an artist who chooses to live and work in a remote location. He drew lots of other artists to Natimuk and really helped to reinvigorate its social and cultural fabric. "It is astonishing how many artists from Natimuk are involved in projects and festivals overseas, in particular Europe. Simon was one of those," Allen says. One of the many highlights of Barley's career was his commission in 2004 by the City of Lille in Northern France for a series of massive sculptures to celebrate its title of European Cultural Capital. In 2005 he was awarded a two year Australia Council Fellowship. The Australia Council's director of theatre, John Baylis, says Simon Barley was a truly original artist. "Coming from a background in theatre design, he taught himself the craft skills of bamboo scaffolding work to create his own artistic form which he called 'aerial construction as performance'. He has been internationally acclaimed for his work, especially in France, but his success did not lead to compromise or repetition. His work was always an exploration premised on uncertainty: each one was an original creation, a risky investigation of the potential of a particular public site."	Back to main newsletter