The startlingly lifelike sculptures of Sam Jinks come to QVMAG

A major exhibition by one of Australia’s most prominent sculptural artists is set to open at the Queen Victoria Art Gallery this weekend, providing a rare opportunity to encounter a collection of works not typically accessible to the public.

Sam Jinks || Mortal Reflections marks the first exhibition in Tasmania by this talented artist, renowned for his painstakingly crafted figures. Throughout the exhibition, human and animal forms inhabit an imagined world between real and hyperreal and between life and death. 

Melbourne-based Sam Jinks is an internationally known and collected artist who worked as an illustrator before turning to sculpture and has worked in film and television special effects. His sculptures are found in public collections in Australia and around the world and have been shown in significant national and international exhibitions and events. 

QVMAG has transformed the entire upper level of its Royal Park site into an intimate contemporary art experience, bringing together 15 works that have never been exhibited together. Sam Jinks || Mortal Reflections also represents the largest collection of Sam Jinks works ever seen in one place. 

City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said the exhibition reinforces the City of Launceston as a premier arts destination offering world-class cultural experiences. 

"It's such a coup to have so many Sam Jinks sculptures on display here in Launceston for the community and visitors to enjoy. His works are incredible, and I can’t wait to see how people react to them. I am sure they’ll be blown away,” Mayor Garwood said. 

The art of Sam Jinks draws on our shared fascination with the human figure. Known for his extraordinary craftsmanship, Jinks’ work invites viewers to contemplate the beauty, fragility, and mystery of the human condition. Constructed from silicone, fiberglass and resin and often using human hair, the sculptures evoke intense feelings of empathy. 

QVMAG Lead Curator Kellie Wells said visitors will move through the darkened gallery space in the Art Gallery at Royal Park and encounter the works, creating intimate and powerful moments. 

"While the sculptures are lifelike, the artist plays with scale, mysticism and iconography, so you're not dealing with an exact replica of the human form - that's not the intention," Wells said. 

"There are sculptures based on people he knows - including his own children - filled with emotion and vulnerability. There's a universality and something we can all connect with. We invite the whole community to come and experience it for themselves." 

Sam Jinks || Mortal Reflections is on display at the Art Gallery at Royal Park, 2 Wellington Street, Launceston from 14 June until 19 October 2025. Open 10am to 4pm daily. Entry is free. 

Issued 13 June 2025.