William Versace

William Versace's 'Fire Agate 2' features hand-ground pigment from oyster shells found in Kamay Botany Bay NSW. Mixing the pigment with various inks and powders he creates his multi-layered, multi-textural ‘oyster’ works to reflect the layered depth and composition of an oyster shell. He then carves into the piece, creating a resin and plaster relief which reflects the shapes of the intricate coastline of Kamay.

Becoming engrossed in the technologies of the materials he works with, each of William Versace’s creations is highly conceptualised prior to its development, which he then creates in collaboration with different places and environments. An avid environmentalist, Versace’s knowledge of botany and horticulture underpins his passion for illuminating the human impact on the natural world. Many pieces are created in collaboration with natural forces such as sea snails, rain, and salt, reflecting Versace’s ongoing interest in relinquishing control to place and process.

Grounded in painting, sculpture, and installation, Versace’s transdisciplinary practice engages deeply with material technologies, botany, and environmental processes. Working on-site with local ecologies, he allows natural elements to erode, form, or imprint his surfaces, prompting reflections on human impact, the dialogue between people and place, and speculations of what our future artefacts will look like.