Originally from regional Australia, Michael Gittings (b.1989) grew up hunting and fishing with his father, navigating the natural environment at a slow and considered pace. Here, Gittings developed an enduring interest in aspects of nature that might otherwise have passed him by, such as how bark falls from trees through the seasons and how leaves and flowers shrivel, changing in colour and shape as they return to the earth. Directly inspired by his environment and natural forms, Gittings works intuitively with his materials (primarily metal) to create three-dimensional works navigating the intersections of sculpture and functional design. Gittings has exhibited nationally in Australia since 2017, with works acquired and commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria, in addition to being represented in private collections across Australia, the US and Europe. In 2024, Gittings was included in the Vogue Living’s VL50 and in 2021 he was named as one of Architectural Digest Italy’s AD100 Game Changers.