For a young artist, a meteoritic rise to fame can sometimes be followed by a painful decline—or at best, a long stationary period on a plateau. Conversely, an arduous uphill climb may be frustratingly slow, but the subsequent rewards tend to be lasting. Peter Blizzard, at the age of 66, falls into the second category. Recent major exhibitions and commissions in Australia and Japan have made it clear that he is one of Australia’s leading sculptors.
Late in 2006, the Hakone Open-Air Museum, the world-renowned sculpture park two hours south of Tokyo, hosted a large show of Blizzard’s work. This was a great reward for an artist who has never engaged in self-promotion. The first Australian invited to exhibit at Hakone, Blizzard installed his work among an extraordinary collection that includes sculptures by Rodin, Bourdelle, Brancusi, Boccioni, Miró, and Marini, as well as an astonishing group of 26 bronzes by Henry Moore.
