Category Archives: Sculpture
Sculpture in the Gardens
Dropping Tipping Point and foundation into a hole we’d prepared earlier.
Auckland Botanic Garden‘s biennial sculpture show is about to open – it runs from 29 November 2015 to 6 March 2016. All of the works are now in place and it looks like a pretty good show with plenty of well-known artists represented. This is the fourth time my work has been selected for this event.
In what has to have been the easiest installation ever, Tipping Point was placed in position way back on 11 November. Toughening OSH rules mean that work on Council-owned land can only be undertaken by appropriately trained and certified contractors and staff. My role was pretty much reduced to watching and offering helpful comments from the sidelines. Overall a great job by the crew.
Tipping Point was crafted in my neighbour’s barn. It did start in my garage, but I quickly worked out that wasn’t going to work.
As with most of my work, there is an environmental message. Tipping points and domino theories allude to points where systems become unstable; producing a cascade of unintended consequences that are as inevitable as the last domino toppling. The work is especially pertinent as our minority National government representatives head off to Paris with proposals for meagre greenhouse gas emission reductions and a disingenuous appeal that the small size of our emissions on a global scale mean that we can maintain business as usual.
This is a position of moral bankruptcy.
Sculpture in the Gardens About to Open
Installation of Weather House at the bi-annual Sculpture in the Gardens show at Auckland Botanic Gardens
The bi-annual sculpture show at the Auckland Botanic Gardens is gearing up for its summer run from 9th November 2013 to 16th February 2014. Installation commenced last week and probably half of the works are already in place.
My work Weather House was installed without hitch on Monday thanks to the help from the well-organised gardens crew.
Sculpture in the Gardens Lineup Announced
Last week Sculpture in the Gardens announced the artists selected for the 2013/2014 summer show.
I was very pleased to be among the 23 artists that will have their work in the gardens over the period running from 9 November 2013 through to 16 February 2014. This will be the fourth biennial show to be held at the Botanic Gardens and will be the third for which my work has been selected.
The exhibition comprises large-scale, outdoor sculptures placed along a 2km walking trail that passes through the key plant collections at the Manurewa site. Entry is free and this popular event saw over 360,000 visitors passing through the gates during the last show.
Featured in Art News
New work by Richard Wedekind on display as part of the New Zealand Statue show at Zealandia Sculpture Garden.
The latest issue of Art News came out last week and had a feature article about sculpture that was on display over the summer.
I was very pleased to see that my work Quarter-acre Weather-board Paradise was included in the accompanying photographs.
It has been a busy summer with lots of sculpture out and about in the Auckland Region but is now winding down as the days shorten. There is still plenty to see though; Summer of Sculpture in the Wynyard Quarter continues through to 14th March and the private gardens/sculpture parks will continue through the winter – on reduced schedules.
Take advantage of the Indian Summer and get out and see some great art.
The New Zealand Statue – Contemporary Figure Sculpture in Aotearoa
The sculpture Quarter-acre Weather-board Paradise stands out against the concrete panels of the Gallery at Zealandia Sculpture Garden.
A survey of contemporary New Zealand figurative sculpture curated by Robin Woodward is currently on show at Zealandia Sculpture Garden, near Warkworth.
The show includes works by: Paul Dibble, Marian Fountain, Hannah Kidd, Richard McWhannell, Terry Stringer, Llew Summers, Greer Twiss, Toby Twiss and myself.
The show will run through January and February 2013 and can be viewed by appointment by contacting Zealandia Sculpture Garden direct (09 422 0099).
My work titled Quarter-acre Weather-Board Paradise references the 1972 book The Half-Gallon Quarter-Acre Pavlova Paradise written by now British M.P. Austin Mitchell that celebrated New Zealand as heaven on earth.
My work hints that now, like everywhere else, there is trouble in Paradise.
Urban sprawl resulting from the Kiwi Dream of a weather-board clad house on a quarter-acre section is spilling over our hills and along our coasts.
The loss of productive land, traffic congestion, pollution are associated with the degradation of once pristine environments.
The lone, red painted, weatherboard figure of Quarter-acre Weather-board Paradise symbolises the process whereby man ceases to be part of the environment, but becomes the environment.
The Artist’s Garden
Two wall mounted busts stare off into the distance with the ‘classic’ surfer’s stare’.
My good friend and near-neighbour Kelley Diener is starting a new venture.
On 19th of January she is opening her Orapiu garden (The Artist’s Garden) to the public.
She is showing outdoor art and sculptural works by local artists and has talked me into revisiting the back-catalogue.
I have two works with her:
Flight – a stop-motion series of bird silhouettes in flight and
Surf’s Up – a wall mounted, stainless steel bust.
Sculpt Oneroa – a sort of Salon des Refuses
Two steel figures pass in an urban ballet outside the Oneroa Post Office on Waiheke Island. They are part of the Sculpt Oneroa show.
Oneroa village on Waiheke Island is to host Sculpt Oneroa, an outdoor sculpture show timed to coincide with the bi-annual Sculpture on the Gulf exhibition.
The idea is to exhibit work of local sculptors, many of whom have previously exhibited at Sculpture on the Gulf and Toi Gallery including: Chris Bailey, Leon van den Eijkel, Lyndal Jefferies Sally Smith, Toi-Te-Rangiuaia and myself.
A total of 17 works will be scattered throughout the village during the period 18th January to 18th February 2013.
The work I am showing is Pas de Deux (with hoodies) which was previously exhibited at Sculpture OnShore 2010.
The work comprises two figures in painted steel with overall dimensions of 2,000×1,200×1,200mm.
The work is for sale – $10,000 (inc. GST).
Zealandia Sculpture Show
I am off to Zealandia Sculpture Garden
Weatherboard figure (under construction).
tomorrow for the installation of my new work Quarter acre weatherboard paradise.
This will be part of the ‘Contemporary Figure Sculpture in Aotearoa’ exhibition to be held there over the summer.
I will post images of the installation soon.
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