David Getty is a Sculptor/Artist living and working in Melbourne, Australia. He received a Master’s in Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design in 2010; trained in wood construction from Aalto University (Finland) and has an BFA in Fine Art (Sculpture) from St Olaf College in Minnesota.  He has worked as project architect for the award-winning Salmela Architect (Finnish-American) in Duluth, Minnesota (USA) and worked as a sole practitioner since 2014 in fields of art, design and architecture under the moniker Surrounding Objects

Currently a Resident Sculptor at Gasworks Arts Park, David’s work centers around the theme of “Sincere Constructive Spirit”. These three words reference a quote by Eliel Saarinen (Finnish Architect 1873-1950) who wrote significantly about the search for form in Art and Architecture. 


“Craft arises from repetition of a known skill-set but ultimately hinges on the maker embodying a “sincere constructive spirit”.”  -Eliel Saarinen

PINE

David Getty

29 August - 2 September

Please Join us for the opening celebration Thursday 31rd July 6-8pm

P I N E   S a u n a  is constructed entirely from Nordic Pine — a material long valued for its warm color, versatility, and natural character. For the artist, who grew up amid the pine forests of Minnesota, this choice of a singular, familiar material becomes both a personal gesture and a formal exploration. The one-person sauna becomes a meditation on comfort, solitude, and the sensory qualities of wood and heat.

Pine carries diverse cultural and material resonances. Universally recognized for its strength, accessibility, and distinctive grain, it is both ordinary and evocative. Its knots, patterns, and variations are not hidden but embraced — each board contributing its own voice to a collective structure.

The construction employs a straightforward, almost elemental, method: standardized 45x90mm boards are stacked in a board-by-board assembly that recalls traditional log-building practices. This reductive approach emphasizes the individuality of each component while reinforcing a sense of unity through repetition and rhythm.

As a freely accessible public installation, P I N E   S a u n a  invites unexpected encounters. Positioned within an urban gallery context, it offers a space of quiet introspection and warmth — a momentary retreat. Visitors are welcome to step inside, sit, and engage with the work through bodily experience, bridging design, sculpture, and ritual in an understated, sensory encounter.