ANU School of Art & Design alumna Sian Watson (Bachelor of Visual Arts Honours, 2015) installed her first public artwork, Undergrazing (2020) in Hobart Place, Canberra earlier this month.

As the recipient of the one-off Emerging Arts Support Scheme (EASS) Crafted Development Public Art Commission, Watson had the opportunity to up-scale her Honours sculpture work and develop a large bronze horse for permanent display as part of the artsACT collection. 

"The opportunities and invaluable skills I gained at the ANU School of Art & Design have provided me with the expertise and knowledge for a successful art practice, and I am now showing both nationally and internationally," Watson said of her studies at the ANU. 

The artist also acknowledged Nick Stranks (Lecturer and Technical Officer, ANU Sculpture & Spatial Practice) was crucial in casting the bronze sculpture and supported her throughout the process.

Undergrazing was developed as a result of Watson’s long-standing relationship with animals and the landscape; fusing ideas of sustainability, agriculture, and human-animal interaction. Watson’s interest in elongated forms is exemplified in the emaciated horse.