Keld Moseholm Sculpture

'Unreal' sculpture takes $60k prize

A bronze and graphite sculpture by Danish artist Keld Moseholm has won the main $60,000 prize at the launch of this year's Sculpture By The Sea exhibition.

Moseholm's work, titled Mirroring 1995, depicts the relationship between reality and unreality. Two figures are seen to be engaging in a tug-of-war.

"This is a complete surprise to me," the 75-year-old said of winning.

"I am very honoured, very privileged with the award and very honoured to be part of a public collection in Sydney." Moseholm's winning work will be put on permanent public display.

It is one of 109 pieces by artists from Australia and 11 other countries, including Japan, India and New Caledonia, decorating Bondi's beachside as part of the 14th annual Sculpture By The Sea exhibition.

Twenty of the artists are exhibiting for the first time.

Made from steel and stone, plastic, wood and salvaged objects, the works play with the light, wind and water along the coastline from Marks Park to Tamarama.

Sculpture By The Sea regularly draws around 400,000 people to the area.

Exhibition director David Handley says he hopes hundreds of thousands will visit the exhibition again this year.

"You just see the smiles on people's faces as they walk around," he said.

"It's inspiring people to be artists, or it might be inspiring people to chase their own dream."

The exhibition, which is free, runs until November 14.