Tom Bass Retrospective Film Night

All are invited to this special retrospective film screening night, celebrating the work and legacy of Tom Bass AM (1916–2010), one of Australia's most significant and influential sculptors known for his large public works and dedication to art education. Join us on Thursday 15 October 2026 from 6:30pm at PACT Centre for Emerging Artists in Erskineville, just around the corner from the Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School, for this special retrospective film night, with a small exhibition of Tom Bass' work in the foyer. Refreshments will be available to purchase at the theatre bar. Limited places! The short film screening will start at 7:30pm, with a program of three films: • Australian Biography: Tom Bass (2006, dir. Rod Freedman, ©NFSA) interviews Tom Bass on his life and work, his childhood, studies, family, establishment of his sculpture school, and public sculptures. His commissions included pieces for the National Library, Canberra's Civic Square and numerous churches and universities. However, none of his sculptures are in art gallery collections. His philosophy was that the sculptor is the seer or spokesperson for the community, whose role is to create "public totems”, not “mantlepiece ornaments”. “I saw the whole of Australia as a blank sheet that had to be written on,” said Tom. • Who Is Tom Bass? (2016, Tex Whitney Productions) provides insights into the journey and inspiration behind Tom's work and explores the role of public sculpture in Australian society. Commissioned as part of the Centenary Celebrations of Tom Bass, this beautiful film was made to celebrate some of the public sculptures created by Tom, including the P&O Fountain, the AMP Sculpture, Ethos, the National Library Lintel Sculpture, and the Herald Sculpture. • Sculptured Seal (1968, dir. Frank Radd, ©NFSA) explores the process of constructing the 70 foot, copper lintel sculpture for the entrance to the National Library of Australia, from the initial idea to the careful planning, fabrication and final installation. Tom Bass drew from symbolic, classical imagery as well as the Australian natural landscape to create this magnificent work of art. Thank you to Dr Margo Hoekstra, the Tom Bass estate, and the staff and board of the Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School; to Tex Whitney Productions, Rod Freedman, and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia; and to PACT Centre for Emerging Artists for their support and assistance! Pictured above: Lintel Sculpture by Tom Bass, photographed by Max Dupain, 1968. State Library of NSW. We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the unceded land where this event will be held, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.