About
Finding Inspiration in the Broken
Energy is never lost, only transformed. This fundamental law underpins our reality, a ceaseless cosmic cycle. My inquiries are merely a scratch in this grand process, revealing the inherent, ever-present 're' energy—the potential and inspiration found in the broken. We creators are alchemists: we shapeshift, readjust, and resharpen our tools. We embrace the breaking apart, for it is the necessary precursor to true wholeness and the creation of the new.
Media Bio
Simon Max Bannister (b. 1982, Johannesburg) is a Ōtautahi-based sculptor whose practice investigates the interface between the natural world and industrial materiality. Over a twelve-year career spanning South Africa and New Zealand, he has developed a distinctive visual vernacular characterized by "shard-like" geometries and layered, totemic forms.
Formally trained in Graphic Design (BA, 2009), Simon Max Bannister's work evolved through site-specific land art and environmental research, including microplastics documentation in the South Atlantic and leading monumental Temple designs for Afrikaburn. A former DSWF Artist of the Year, his work has been exhibited at Christie’s London and is held in the permanent collection of the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden.
Now working from his studio in Hillsborough, Simon Max Bannister explores themes of habitat loss and mythology through unique bronzes cast from splintered wood and large-scale Corten steel installations. His work is represented by Wanaka Fine Art Gallery, Artbay Gallery and Ebony Gallery, with private commissions situated across the United Kingdom, North America, and New Zealand.
Portfolio: https://www.simonmaxbannister.com
Biographical Profile
Simon Max Bannister (b. 1982, Johannesburg) is a multi-disciplinary artist whose practice functions at the intersection of environmental advocacy, totemic symbolism, and material exploration. Currently based in Ōtautahi, New Zealand, he has spent over a decade developing a visual vernacular through sculpture.
Artistic Philosophy and Practice
Central to Simon Max Bannister’s work is the investigation of the industrial-natural interface. Their current practice utilizes the rugged topography of the South Island as a backdrop for exploring "shard-like" geometries. By translating the organic textures of splintered wood into unique bronze casts and constructing layered, architectural forms in Corten steel, he creates a dialogue between the permanence of metal and the fragility of the animals and ecosystems they represent. This aesthetic evolution reflects a career-long fascination with how mythology and animal symbolism can act as a bridge for ecological consciousness.
Professional Trajectory & Environmental Engagement
After graduating with a BA in Graphic Design (2009) and refining a rigorous design discipline at GRID under Nathan Reddy, Simon Max Bannister transitioned into the field of Land Art and site-specific installation. Their portfolio is marked by a deep commitment to environmental research, including:
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Scientific Collaboration: Serving as crew for the Sea-Dragon microplastics research vessel in the South Atlantic, which informed a subsequent TED regional talk on the synthesis of Land Art and conservation.
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Public Installation: High-profile commissions such as the Agulhas Africa Map Icon and the Plastikos installation at the Two Oceans Aquarium, both of which challenge viewers to confront human impact on the biosphere.
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Ephemeral Architecture: Serving as the Lead Design for the Afrikaburn Temple for three consecutive years, managing the intersection of community ritual and monumental scale in the Tankwa Karoo.
Recognition and Global Presence
A former winner of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Artist of the Year (2013), Simon Max Bannister has seen his work sold at Christie’s London and exhibited in major centers including Los Angeles, London, and Cape Town. His sculptures are held in significant permanent collections, most notably the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden (Icarus Wish).
Today, Simon Max Bannister is an active member of the Rei Collective at the Whakaraupo Carving Centre and serves on the Artscape Tankwa Art Residency selection committee. His work is represented by Wanaka Fine Art Gallery and Artbay Gallery, with over 30 permanent Corten steel installations across New Zealand and private collections spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.
and why all the black you ask?
A beautiful insight came to me in the stories from this new land that I find myself in. I have always felt a connection to the colour, not in a morbid sense, not in a grieving or gothic manner, though. I heard that in Māori culture, black symbolises potential, and this resonates with me deeply. I mean, there was light first and then the dark, and that made the light really shine. Either way, it works its magic in holding these little words, which is what is needed right now.
Origins
To provide some context, Simon Max Bannister spent much of his life in South Africa. There he found the spirit of his creative practice in the bushveld, its cryptic dusty landscapes and wild intelligence. After exploring many materials and site specific land art processes, he found his fascination with metal in the collective studios of the old Bronze Age foundry.
He moved to New Zealand in 2018 after being intrigued by the dramatic beauty of the islands, mountains, its stories, and the profound reverence for nature's rights.
In his artistic practice, Bannister employs a distinctive bronze casting technique to express his concerns about habitat and species loss. Working predominantly with wood and metal, he creates ephemeral sculptures that poignantly reflect the precarious state of being.
In Summary
Sculptor Simon Max Bannister creates powerful works that celebrate the fragility and strength of nature. For his bronze creations, he gathers wood splinters, resembling bone and sinew, from forestry clearcuts. Using a lost-wax technique, these fragments are shaped into indigenous birds and wings. The wood is incinerated, forming the mold to immortalize species in bronze. His corten outdoor steel sculptures transform industrial iron into wilder forms, embodying nature's restorative power. Positioned as guardians, these pieces seamlessly integrate into the landscape, serving as a poignant tribute and a reminder of the urgent need for preservation.
