Joel Sorensen (b. Australia) is a sculptor whose practice is rooted in instinctual and primal engagement with materials, exploring the boundaries between the figurative, metamorphic, and abstract. Living and working on Jaara Country in Central Victoria, Sorensen carves, models, and casts using reclaimed timber, clay, bronze, cement, and plaster — each medium informing the others in a tactile dialogue with the natural world.
Drawing on a background in music, having completed a Bachelor of Music at Melbourne University, Sorensen’s work reflects an intuitive relationship to form and texture, developed in his studio at the edge of the Chewton bushlands. His carving process, which employs chainsaw, axe, and chisel, reveals figures and shapes from fallen Cypress and Sugar Gum, surfaces finished with charring, pigments, wax, and washes to evoke rich, layered character.
When working in clay, Sorensen employs traditional waste mould casting techniques, chipping away plaster to reveal textured, painterly bronze and plaster forms. His sculptures carry archetypal resonance, balancing strength and vulnerability, abstraction and embodiment.
Sorensen’s works have been widely commissioned and exhibited in solo and group shows across Australia. They are held in numerous private collections and have received various awards, marking him as a significant contemporary sculptor whose work channels both elemental force and quiet introspection.
