This sculptural exhibition sees Stephen Hart merge his early life with the present. In January 2024, a visit to Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum — where he viewed a Catalina aircraft — reignited a childhood ambition, first sparked by reading Hell and High Fever by David Selby, to create one of his own. This desire is also connected, in Stephen’s memories, with his father’s war time experience – John Hart (1923–1975) escaped New Britain’s Rabaul after the Japanese overran their small Australian garrison known as Lark Force. In those many days and nights travelling through the thick rainforest, Hart senior and his compatriots looked in vain for the amphibian PBY Catalina aircraft, developed in the 1930s and renowned during World War II for its military search and rescue role.

A four-meter aircraft sculpture will be shown for the first time, suspended from the ceiling at FireWorks Gallery. Other related works including Catalina maquettes created along the way will be included, notably the biographical The Cat Came Back.

The construction of the Catalina, at one-eighth scale of the original, has not been an easy task. It has required Stephen to test his ideas – writing, drawing, photographing and calculating – with the first drawing dated 15 January 2024. He has researched flight, mathematics, and engineering beyond where he believed he was capable. In many ways, this project has been coming for Stephen since he was a boy; with the skills to realise it developed throughout fifty years of art practice.

He has drawn the Catalina from every angle, with each element given exaggerated importance, notes taken visually and mentally, recorded in his sketches, for the task to come.

‘This is not a kit, more an adventure in time, space and pertinacity’, he wrote (18 July 2025).

‘Day to day the umpteen processes involved in making this work require a deep dig into the inner resources… as does the daily news cycle’ (6 April 2025).

The making of the Catalina has taken Stephen into the unknown, with the artist regularly doubting his ability to complete the task – until recently. The Catalina has absorbed 13,000 rivets, timber, aluminum, and materials with which he has never worked before – including surfboard foam and rubber.

This project has stimulated a book, with a new major poem from Nathan Shepherdson, a foreword by Adrian Hall, and text by Louise Martin-Chew. Also included are other people’s Catalina stories, notably from former ABC journalist broadcaster Bernie Bowen and republication of material by Frank Turner (father of Flight Centre’s Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner). The book will be launched at the opening of the cat came back: Stephen Hart sculpture on Saturday 13 September.

Hart is best known for his hand-crafted sculpture in wood, with works also cast in bronze. His artistic journey is a philosophical enquiry reflecting an ongoing interest in rituals, habits and the complexities of human society.

Gallery Director Michael Eather commented, “Stephen Hart is a treasure to Brisbane, one of the most skillful and dedicated sculptors working today. His ability to materialise his universal wonderment and metaphysical themes within a personal narrative is fascinating”.

Publication
the cat came back: Stephen Hart sculpture By Louise Martin-Chew with Adrian Hall, Stephen Hart, Nathan Shepherdson and Michael Phillips. AndAlso Books, Brisbane, 2025