Wanda Gillespie’s ongoing fascination with the abacus has become a defining theme in her work as a contemporary wood sculptor. Through her meticulously crafted bespoke interpretations of this ancient tool, she explores the creation of value, systems of measurement, and the intersection of the material and the mystical.
The abacus, from its origins in Mesopotamia to its later forms in Asia and Eastern Europe, speaks to humanity’s perennial impulse to quantify and order the world. In recent years, she has come to view the abacus as a powerful metaphor for our contemporary era—a moment of reckoning
In Of Counting and Devotion, Wanda re asserts the abacus beads function as a sacred object, drawing inspiration from prayer beads used in various religious traditions— from the Islamic tasbih and Christian rosary to the Buddhist mala and Hindu japa. By lathe-turning and hand-carving oversized wooden beads, she transforms them from utilitarian counters into powerful symbols of both spiritual devotion and tangible value.
Through her work, Wanda invites us to reflect on how we measure devotion, purpose, and significance in a world increasingly defined by numbers, systems, and structures.
Wanda Gillespie is a contemporary artist known for her interactive abacus sculptures and wood-carved figurative works. Drawing inspiration from ancient artifacts and nature’s mathematical perfection, her practice explores themes of history, time, truth, and spirituality. Her abacus sculptures, which investigate the intersection of value and the sacred, are a central focus of her work.
Wanda has exhibited widely in solo and group shows, including at the National Gallery of Australia and the Institute of Modern Art. A finalist in numerous prestigious sculpture prizes, she has received multiple residencies and awards, including funding from the Australia Council and Creative New Zealand. Wanda is a current artist in residence at the Victorian Woodworkers Association.
Wood, Sculpture