The Brighton Jetty Sculptures were back for their 19th year! From January 21 to February 1, 2026, our coastline was transformed into the largest open-air art gallery in South Australia.
On a beautiful sunny day, my wife and I decided to check out Brighton Beach to see what this year’s talented artists had created. Strolling along the foreshore under bright blue skies, we were thrilled to explore the amazing variety of artworks, all thanks to the fantastic volunteers from the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club who kept everything running smoothly.
There was so much art on display, but our absolute favourite piece was ‘Sunshine Bloom’ by Chris Murphy. Its vibrant, giant wildflower design looked beautiful against the water and it felt exactly like a classic Aussie summer day. Besides our favourite choice, the whole beachfront was filled with wonderful artwork.
Artists used all sorts of materials like metal, wood, glass, and stone to bring their ideas to life. We spent hours wandering around, chatting about the art, and snapping photos of the pieces that really caught our eye.
Check out our personal top ten favourite sculptures from the 2026 exhibition!
Sunshine Bloom (Our Favourite)
Sculptor: Chris Murphy
Material: Corten Steel and Mild Steel
Size: w 800mm; d 800mm; h 2600mm
Weight: 95kg
Artist’s Description:
The sunshine brings everything to life.
Re-Emergence (Judge’s Award – Outdoor)
Sculptor: Sian Watson
Material: Steel, Cement, Sealant and Paint
Size: w 50mm; d 30mm; h 195mm
Weight: 40kg
Artist’s Description:
My work explores the relationships humans and animals have with their shared environments through figurative and abstract sculpture, capturing movement and narrative while reflecting on themes of evolution, adaptation and migration, playing on varied viewer interpretation.
The abstracted figure is based on the spotted-tail quoll, standing tall and prominent within the landscape. The quoll’s long tail acts as a void within the form, referencing the disappearance of the spotted quoll in the SA landscape over 130 years ago.
Ocean Treasures (People’s Choice Award – Outdoor)
Sculptor: Daniel Gill
Material: Helidon Sandstone from Queensland
Size: w 1700mm; d 1000mm; h 800mm
Weight: 2500kg
Artist’s Description:
When scouring the sandstone quarry in search of the right stone, Daniel found a six-tonne block with stunning colour and immediately envisioned the octopus it would become. Created for a public space, the sculpture invites people to sit, relax and take in their surroundings. It encourages connection, imagination, and play – a place where children can explore and let their creativity run wild as the octopus comes to life protecting his treasure!
Recycled Rhythim (Youth Award Winner)
Sculptor: Kalan Murphy
Material: Recycled Mild Steel, Recycled Plastic Container and Reo Bar
Size: w 1800mm; d 1400mm; h 1200mm
Weight: 100kg
Artist’s Description:
I love drums and building things with recycled materials, so I combined my creativity and ironwork skills to create a Steampunk-themed outdoor drum kit that can withstand the elements and the test of time. I found lots of recycled materials around my dad’s workshop and at Kev’s recycling yard in Port Elliot. I like using recycled materials because it repurposes old scrap, and buying from locals like Kev’s scrap yard, I am supporting his business.
Mycelium
Sculptor: Alex Kinnane
Material: Stone, Timber and Metal
Size: w 1500mm; d 1000mm; h 100mm
Weight: 200kg
Artist’s Description:
Enjoy the simplicity of this piece.
Viewing Mycelium at night is extra special, with its internal glow resonating the the quartz and ancillary lighting.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Sculptor: Scott Tonkin
Material: Scrap Metal and Retired Tools
Size: w 2000mm; d 1100mm; h 17000mm
Weight: 100kg
Artist’s Description:
This sculpture honours the Bottlenose Dolphin, a creature known for its intelligence and playful nature. The Bottlenose Dolphin now faces challenges from the algal blooms in South Australia, the blooms have had a serious impact on marine life and the industries that rely on it.
By giving discarded materials new life, this artwork inspires reflection on sustainability and the shared responsibility to protect our oceans.
Tidekeeper
Sculptor: Claude Portelli
Material: Corten Steel
Size: w 1340mm; d 960mm; h 1000mm
Weight: 20kg
Artist’s Description:
Tidekeeper is a weathered guardian of the shoreline, forged from Corten Steel that rusts and ripples like the ocean’s memory. This sculptural crab embodies resilience, a sentinel standing between land and sea, time and tide. It’s surface transforms with the elements, echoing nature’s slow and inevitable change.
Tidekeeper reflects the delicate balance of ecosystems and the enduring rhythm of the tides that shape both metal and life.
Simply Marble-ous
Sculptor: Rob Martin
Material: Wagon Wheel Rim, Glass Marbles and Various Metals
Size: w 1500mm; d 500mm; h 1800mm
Weight: 200kg
Artist’s Description:
The idea for this piece came about while watching the Monarch butterflies in my garden. With the vibrant colour of orange against the dark green foliage background, it made me think how cool it would look to have a sculpture with orange glass beaming sunlight through it during the day.
Leafy Sea Dragon
Sculptor: Scott Tonkin
Material: Recycled Metal and Retired Tools
Size: w 400mm; d 700mm; h 850mm
Weight: 16kg
Artist’s Description:
Crafted from scrap metal and retired tools, this sculpture pays homage to the Leafy Sea Dragon, known for its delicate leaf like fins and graceful camouflage. Using scrap metal in art has a significant, positive environmental impact by promoting recycling, reducing waste and giving new purpose to what others might consider trash.
Flight of Fancy
Sculptor: Sian Watson and Tom Buckland
Material: Steel, Cardboard, Foam and Found Objects
Size: w 400mm; d 700mm; h 850mm
Weight: 16kg
Artist’s Description:
Designed specifically to celebrate the Santos Tour Down Under as the Men’s Stage 4 race started in Brighton on Saturday, 24 January 2026.
Made of steel and cardboard, these wacky and whimsical feathered cyclists share humour, ecology, and the joy of cycling at Brighton. Thank you to Charlie (8 yrs) for drawing bikes that have become the sculptures.
Artwork and Artist, left to right
Pie Perspective by Stephanie Robertson; Orb by Sakthivel Eakambaranathan
Solathe by Jason Aslin; Mama Kingfish is Hungry by Daniel Lightowler
It is always great to see how well the coastal backdrop complements the artwork each year, and it is why this has become one of our favourite annual traditions.
Once we finished soaking in all the incredible beachfront artwork, we made our way over to nearby Glenelg Beach to cap off the morning. We couldn’t resist popping into Gelato Messina for a couple of scoops of Italian-style goodness. There is nothing quite like sun and a cold treat to wrap up a great local adventure!
So, if you are an art lover, or just love a good beach walk, make sure you don’t miss the 2027 exhibition as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Which of our top ten was your favourite?
