My name is Nigel Dobson and I’m a sculptor from Canberra.

And this artwork is called

Shogun. I thought of this artwork in 2020. I had started making it and then because things
took a long time, I was working on it slowly. So, I would look at it and think about it more
and more over two years so the first idea changed. Originally it was going to have more
arms in the in the middle but I looked at it and thought about it for a while and I didn’t think
that it needed extra arms so I just left it like this. I'm very happy with where this work was
put. The blue looks great against the orange rust.

. There’s a wind tunnel there so the wind

makes the sculpture move and come to life.

So when I was thinking of the idea and sending it to Sculpture by the Sea I was working on
the drawing but I was also reading a book called Shogun at the same time. And I didn’t have
a name for my work and Shogun seemed suitable. Because I gave it that name, it’s given it
something extra. People see the work and the name and title they come up with ideas
about how they are related. They think about ideas they already have about Japan or what
Shogun means to them and also the work. I really like that people do that.

I’ve been developing my visual style over the last few years. It is influenced by Soviet
monuments in Eastern Europe from the 50s, 60s and 70s and they are quite angular. The
materials I use and the way I use them also makes them more angular. Metal sheets and
welding is my visual language, so I’m using that and seeing what I can do with it. I tell stories
through sculpture. Normally my sculptures are about 2 1/2 metres tall. And this work is
about 3 1/2 metres tall so it's a bit taller than I normally would work. There are a lot of
pieces in it so I could make it larger. I work on each piece first and then I use a machine to
put the sculpture together. Come down to Sculpture by the Sea and look at all the artworks
and look at Shogun from all different angles, maybe give it a spin and see what you think.

1. What is a sculptor?
2. What is the name of this artwork?
3. Why did the sculptor call it that?
4. How long did it take him to make this artwork?
5. What do you think of the name?
6. How do you think the name and the sculpture are connected?
7. What influenced the artist’s style?
8. What materials does he use?
9. How does he put them together?
10. Write a short description of the sculpture what you think of it.

Fillers
Sort of
Yeah
Maybe
So

Cloze

Check the meanings of the words that you don’t know

was also reading extra

appropriate individually
preconceived ideas conceived
giving me the option delay
piece current form
was working contrast
I've been sort of developing sculpture
angular activate
concept has sort of been informed by
My name is Nigel Dobson and I’m a sculpture from Canberra. And this ......... is called Shogun
so this work Shogun was ......... in 2020 and I had started making it and then because of
the ........., for a couple of years, I just sort of was working on it slowly. So, I would sort of
look at it and think about it more and more over two years and it's slightly changed from its
original ......... Originally it was going to have an ........ set of arms in the in the middle disc
but I, after looking at it and thinking about it for a while, I don't think it needed it so I just
left it as its .......... I'm very happy with the way this work was sited and sort of the blue
against the orange rust is a great ........ and I think because it's sort of a tunnel a wind tunnel
there was the idea that maybe the wind would sort of .......... the .........turning as well.

So when I was coming up with the concept and submitting it to Sculpture by the Sea
I ....................on the drawing but I .............a book called Shogun at the same time. And I
hadn't had a title for my work and that just seemed ......................to name it Shogun. And
through doing so I felt like it’s given it a whole other dimension 'cause people see the work
and then see the title and then create their own links. Whether intentional or not, they can't
help but drawing their own ........................about either Japan or what Shogun means to
them along with the work so I enjoy that part about it too.

The visual style I’ve landed on and .................................through the last couple of
years .............................................sort of Soviet monuments in Eastern Europe that were
created sort of in the 50s, 60s and 70s and that’s quite an angular style. And through using
core team sheets and my method of cutting and welding them that naturally just lends itself
to being quite .......................itself. So mixing those two elements I’ve sort of landed on my
own visual language and so I'm sort of trying to develop that as I go and kind of push it into,
I guess, each sculpture. Trying to push it to places that I haven't yet. And then through that
tell the story that I want to tell in the sculpture the work that I normally make is usually
about 2 1/2 metres tall. And this work would be about 3 1/2 metres tall so it's a bit taller
than I normally would work with but because the elements piece together and stuck
together it is.................................. of making it larger than I normally would. Because I can
work on the pieces .......................and then just when the sculptors going together and I
have a machine to help you put it together allows me to make it taller than I normally would
so that's how I come to having a work this large. Yeah, come down to Sculpture by the Sea
and check out all the artworks and look at Shogun from all different angles, maybe give it
a ..............and see what you think.