Fatigue

Walker's sensitivity to the long periods of boredom and fatigue that constituted much of his experience of service life is reflected in his sculpture. His figures capture essences: distilled experiences that can be seen in their attitudes, postures and responses. The tilt of the hip, as the figure in 'Fatigue' leans on his rifle, accentuates a feeling of listlessness. The sinewy, elongated figure shows tension, yet weariness in the soldier as he waits or perhaps contemplates the duty he must perform. The plaster was cast in Melbourne in 1945 and the bronze was cast in Melbourne in 1988.