Huge waves have damaged four sculptures and destroyed one at Sydney’s popular coastal exhibition.

Several sculptures in the hugely popular Sydney exhibition Sculpture by the Sea – a free display of more than 100 sculptures along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk – were damaged on Monday by a high tide and huge swell, as strong winds sent waves crashing to the shore.

Some artworks were swamped but survived. However, five were badly affected including Bronek Koxka’s Fair Dinkum Offshore Processing featuring figures in a metal cage, which was destroyed.

Before and after fierce weather conditions: Bronek Kozka’s Fair Dinkum Offshore Processing at Sculpture by the Sea

As news of his sculpture’s fate broke, Kozka told the Sydney Morning Herald: “It’s a bit of a shock. I’m still processing it. I’m upset that it’s gone, but I’m more upset that offshore processing is an issue we need to keep in peoples’ minds all the time, and now they won’t be seeing it.”

Anticipating the high tide, organisers had moved several sculptures (including Kozka’s) further up the beach but were taken by surprise by the fierce weather conditions, with swells of up to three metres. One granite work was toppled by the wind. Elyssa Skyes-Smith’s A Weighted Embrace was damaged when it was washed into sea, while Angelika Summa’s work Alien: Self consciousness is a virus from outer space was lost to sea. A sculpture by Anne Levich was also damaged. Only one sculpture has previously been washed away during the exhibition’s 20-history, and that was in 1998.

Artworks are swamped during a huge swell at Sculpture by the Sea

Remnants of Kozka’s sculpture were returned to the beach on Monday evening. Other retrieval work will take place on Tuesday. Sang Sug Kim’s 1.4-metre tall carved marble artwork The Window of the Future was submerged several times but survived and is now in the process of being respositioned.

In a statement, Sculpture by the Sea organisers said that 99 percent of the exhibition will be restored to its original condition by early afternoon, with the public already back there enjoying the event. Sculpture by the Sea runs until November 6.

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