Ingeborg King AM

Inge's career, which spans almost eight decades, has been one of enormous artistic drive, determination and longevity. Her monumental sculptures have changed Australia's cultural landscape, and inspired generations of Australian artists. Born in Germany in 1915, Inge began her art education in Berlin in 1937 before studying abroad in England, Scotland and the United States of America. Arriving in Australia in 1951, Inge brought with her an understanding of the latest international developments in modern art, particularly Abstract Expressionism and the works of Jackson Pollock and Barnett Newman. Remarkably, Inge's public works were a major proponent of a generation of artists who led a dramatic shift in Australian art through their commitment to new ideas and striking modern aesthetics.

Today, Inge's work is exhibited in public collections across every corner of the nation. Her public commissions and distinctly Australian voice—which shine through in works such as ‘Forward Surge' at the Arts Centre Melbourne lawn—have made her one of Australia's most prominent sculptors. Inge has exhibited work consistently in group and solo exhibitions, the most recent being a retrospective at the National Gallery of Victoria in 2014, ‘Constellation', which spanned all three levels of the gallery's building in Federation Square.

Throughout her career, Inge's advocacy for contemporary art in the urban environment has resulted in more dynamic public spaces, giving Australian cities modern identities and engendering a deep commitment to the vital role contemporary art has made in our community. Inge was a founding member of the Centre 5 group alongside various other sculptors including Julius Kane and Norma Redpath, through which she worked tirelessly to bring artists and architects together to plan and modernise urban developments.