Peter Syndicas, Burnside Village

Image: Peter Syndicas, Celestial Life Form. Photograph Sam Roberts.

Peter Syndicas
Celestial Life Form, 2024 – 25
Bronze, LED lighting
11 x 2.9 x 3 m
Commissioned by Burnside Village
Creative Partner: Iguana Creative

Since 1997, sculptor Peter Syndicas has blended nature and form in abstract figurative works inspired by plant fractals. His piece, Celestial Life Form, originated from a twig found in the Flinders Ranges on Adnyamathanha land. Creating the large bronze sculpture required overcoming engineering challenges and developing new techniques for its weight and complexity. The monumental, open-form work allows natural light to illuminate its contours, symbolising nature’s fragility and strength through a fusion of technical innovation and organic inspiration.

In 2022, Burnside Village partnered with Guildhouse to deliver a series of public artworks as part of its transformation into a world-class shopping destination.
Working alongside The Cohen Group, Titanium Property Investment, Buchan, RCP, and Hansen Yuncken, Guildhouse commissioned six exceptional artists—Caleb Shea, Gray Hawk, Jason Sims, Peter Syndicas, Silvio Apponyi, and Seb Humphreys—to create site-specific public artworks that enrich the entire precinct.
From concept to completion, the project celebrates the skill, creativity, and innovation of our local and national arts community.

 

Artist Biography:

For over 28 years, Peter Syndicas has crafted abstract figurative sculptures influenced by the patterns of plant life. Raised as the son of artist Anthony Syndicas, and without formal training, his artistic journey began with a chance discovery of a twig that resembled an abstract human form. Ever since, Syndicas has explored figurative shapes reflected in organic fractals. Twigs serve as the foundational shape for large-scale works, which are translated into bronze, steel, and stone, to offer a striking contrast against their innate fragility.

Syndicas’ work is represented by galleries across Australia and held in private collections worldwide, including Dubai, Singapore, and the United States. His sculptures were recently commissioned for the Marina Bay Sands refurbishment in Singapore, further cementing his internationally renowned reputation.

Images: Peter Syndicas, Celestial Life Form. Photographs Sam Roberts, LS Creative Co and Lana Adams.

Additional Media:

Creating a Celestial Lifeform, SALIFE, July 2025

Art on Display, Burnside Village

 

Guildhouse Professional Services

Guildhouse Professional Services (GPS) is a South Australian leading public art consultancy, delivering end-to-end services for major public and commercial projects.

Established as Guildhouse’s social enterprise, GPS combines contemporary public art expertise with the governance strength of Guildhouse, the state’s peak visual arts body with over 60 years’ experience and membership base of over 1,200 artists, designers and craft practitioners.

Learn more about Guildhouse Professional Services