Tomerong-based artist Akira Kamada's work is part of Sydney's Sculpture Rocks exhibition

Sculpture Rocks, a new free outdoor exhibition of Japanese sculptures, will be held in The Rocks, Sydney, presented by Sculpture by the Sea.

Kicking off on May 20, the exhibition will feature a beautifully refined selection of 18 works by 14 Japanese artists.

Akira, who has previously exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea, will be showcasing his sculpture 'Rising Moon' at Sculpture Rocks.

'Rising Moon' is a hanging sculpture made of metal wire, recycled copper, jute twine, eucalyptus, fishing line, shock cord and fabric.

"I was asked to create something organic so I combined many things from around our property, including a number of eucalypt branches," he said.

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"A lot of other sculptors were using metal, steel and rock - my work gives some softness in the show.

"And eucalypts are just so Australian and I thought it would make a great focal point for the sculpture."

His sculptured rings range in size from 120 centimetres to 160 centimetres in diameter.

"It took me about two weeks to create," he said.

"The show was originally planned for January but was postponed due to COVID until now."

What he had envisaged as a bright green flexible display with the eucalypts has changed somewhat.

Now, six months on, it has dried and become harder giving it a totally different look.

His inspiration, the moon, is a nod to his Japaneses culture, which celebrates the different phases of the moon and also to the "big skies" he now sees from his Shoalhaven property.

"After moving to the country I became much more conscious of the moon as it moved across the open sky," he said.

"Tomerong and particularly our property has beautiful big skies. Amazing to see.

"I remember the many occasions in Japan that we would celebrate the phases of the moon which correspond with things like harvest etc."

Akira is a sculptor and installation artist whose central concern is the impact of human behaviour on the natural environment and on our overall social fabric, combined with an artistic respect and reverence for the beauty of natural materials.

Born in Japan in 1955, Akira studied photography and painting before immigrating to Australia in 1987.

He relocated to the Shoalhaven seven years ago because he "needed more space" for his sculptures.

"When our children were young we often came down and camped at Green Patch at Jervis Bay," he said.

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"We loved the area, and when we looked to relocate out of Sydney we found a beautiful 25-acre property at Tomerong.

"It's just perfect, it inspires me and allows me to continue my work."

Akira took up sculpturing in 2003 after a visit to the Sculpture by the Sea in Bondi.

"With my art background I thought 'wow I'd like to try that' and here I am."

In 2008 he was awarded the Clitheroe Foundation Emerging Artists' Scholarship and has since been selected numerous times for Sculpture by the Sea in Bondi and Cottesloe.

His pieces have been featured in collections at Thursday Plantation, Western Sydney University (Campbelltown and Penrith campuses), Transfeld Holdings, Sydney Office, the Encounters Sculpture Walk on Granite Island, South Australia, and in numerous private collections in Tokyo, New York, Sydney, Wollombi and Cottesloe.

'Sculpture Rocks' will be showcased along the stunning and popular Sydney Harbour foreshore area between the overseas passenger terminal, along Campbells Cove, and ending at Hickson Reserve next to the Park Hyatt Hotel.

The exhibition will run from May 20 - June 3.