Autumn 06
Chairman Neil Plimmer's comment
The launching of our two biggest artworks, Water Whirler and SkyBlues, within the space of a fortnight in March 2006, represents an unprecedented achievement for the Trust and an exceptional contribution to Wellington’s reputation as an international centre for contemporary public art.
But it is the quality, not the timing, of the artworks that matters most. Both are special pieces by two of New Zealand’s most notable visual and, in their respective times, expatriate artists, representing highlights of their respective careers. It is reasonable to expect that as awareness of these works grow nationally and internationally they will increasingly attract to Wellington visitors with an eye for great art.
The time taken over them, roughly six years for one and four for the other, reflects intensive research, development and attention to detail in fabrication, to make the works as close as possible to the the artists’ visions.
The long effort was also designed to ensure fabrication and installation in ways that would give strong assurances about their durability, and the minimisation of maintenance. Time will tell if the durability objective has been achieved: the works are not impervious to vandalism nor, perhaps, to the worst excesses of Wellington’s wind. We can only say that every effort has been made to limit the risks.
We are pleased to say, too, that both works were installed debt-free. That is a tribute to the commitment of Wellington’s businesses, institutions and private donors. Between them the two works cost $500,000. At the Water Whirler opening the Chairman of Wellington Waterfront Ltd, Fran Wilde, noted that expenditure was “at the thick end of a million dollars.” This figure represents the remarkable contribution of that organization not only to the sculpture itself, to which it gave $100,000, but to the complex process of designing and constructing the pier and the connections to utilities. We have left these amounts out of our calculations of the cost of the work itself.
If there is a note of dissatisfaction to be struck in all this elation, it relates to the media coverage. At a routine level, this was probably adequate: the openings were noted; coloured pictures appeared in Wellington’s daily newspaper and other print media; and items broadcast on radio and television. But none of this amounted to a considered review, as is given to a major item of the performing arts – a new play or an NZSO concert, for example.
The lack of serious reviewing is a matter that public sculpture shares with a range of other public visual arts including architecture, landscaping and urban design. At best, an expert is quoted in a news item. For our two pieces, it would have been really welcome to see pieces written contemplating their significance in terms of Wellington’s urban landscape, their sites, trends in contemporary art and sculpture and their relationship to artists’ other existing works.
Hopefully over time these will appear and help the wider public understand the contexts of these fine works and develop a deeper understanding of their significance.
The Forecast is for SkyBlues
On 21 March the Mayor, Kerry Prendergast, illuminated Bill Culbert’s neon artwork SkyBlues for the first time.
The placement of this work on such a high profile site in the city(Post Office Square), brings to the Wellington public a very significant work from one of New Zealand’s eminent contemporary sculptors.
Bill is internationally famous for his work in neon and other light forms. Since the late 1960s he has been exploring the physical and metaphysical effects of light and shadow in the everyday world. SkyBlues takes this medium to a new place, pushing the boundaries of what has been possible in the past.
The tapering of the steel poles and bending of the blue neons into three dimensional shapes has called for some incredibly complex technology and manufacturing processes to achieve the effect. The result is stunning.
Bill said after the launch that everyone will have their own ideas with regard to what it’s about, however for him ‘It is about movement, light, space, and sound. The lines of neon moving like handwriting in space – free to zigzag and spiral with rhythm. The blue neon has a particular character – it is a very, very beautiful blue – in an outside work it has the ability to change – to sometimes be invisible and then to very gently fill out, until nightfall when it has the brilliance of blue sky’.
For those of you not lucky enough to have already seen SkyBlues it comprises seven slim, tapering stainless steel poles, each nearly eleven metres tall, set out in the pattern of a koru spiral. The top five metres of each pole support three (total 21) twisting spirals of blue neon light.
Bill describes these twisting spirals of blue neon light as ‘light energy, with the vertical and drawn lines that will move, shimmer, and swirl blue in the cityscape.’
On the day of the launch the skies opened and there was torrential rain for most of the day – however as the crowd gathered the rain clouds parted and a throng of 100 people standing on Post Office Square saw this magnificent sculpture illuminated for the first time against a dark, heavy sky at dusk.
The evening concluded with spectacular views of the sculpture from 21 floors above, in the offices of Bell Gully who very kindly supported the project and provided a venue for our celebrations.
It was an honour to have Bill in New Zealand to watch over the last phase of the manufacture and then be present at the installation of the work and the opening.
The principal funder of SkyBlues was TOWER Ltd, with major donations also from Creative New Zealand and the Wellington City Council. Numerous private individuals and trusts have contributed the balance of the funds to make the commissioning of this spectacular work possible.
Whirling with Water
The control mechanism was programmed for Water Whirler to play only in winds under 20 knots. On opening night Tuesday 7 March the wind was clearly well over that, but the Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright was there, the Mayor Kerry Prendergast, John Matthews, Chair of the Len Lye Foundation, a delegation from New Plymouth, an expectant crowd of 300-400, the Jonathon Crawford Trio with full sound system - and so, following the announcement of Water Whirler’s official launch, the Governor General and Mayor snipped the yellow ribbon across the pier and switched it on.
The wand of Water Whirler assumed an alarming tilt at times but passed the test in fine style and gave everyone a dramatic view of its magic. Since then it has played numerous times – on the hour, weather permitting, during the Festival of the Arts – giving great pleasure to audiences which gathered, wondering what to expect of the slender wand sitting at the end of its new pier. Audiences are often found spontaneously applauding at the end of the ten minute performances.
Len Lye died in 1980 having pushed the boundaries in sculpture, film, and sound, creating works long before their time. We have no doubt that he too would have gained enormous pleasure from the elegant, sparkling performance of his work on Wellington’s waterfront – a city he lived in for some 12 years until the age of 20.
Water Whirler is the second major Len Lye to be fabricated and installed posthumously, the first being the Wind Wand on New Plymouth’s waterfront. Both were technologically challenging, Water Whirler because of its need for four coordinated motors with associated rocking platform and weights and counterweights. These four motors in turn enable water to be pumped through the wand and its nozzles, to rock the wand on its east-west and north-south axes, and to turn the wand around. The motors are all housed within the pier, immediately underneath the wand, and are coordinated and monitored by computer programmes located off the immediate site.
In his speech on the opening night the Trust’s chairman Neil Plimmer recounted the initial meeting in 2000 which set Water Whirler in train as a Millennium project. The Trust was to raise money and commission the work, the Foundation to make and install it, and Wellington Waterfront to contribute funding and provide the site. The Trust again acknowledges the significant contribution and successful collaboration with its partners, Wellington Waterfront Ltd and the Len Lye Foundation.
John Matthews described Len Lye’s approach and his prediction that Water Whirler and some of his other creations were for the 21st century ( i.e. requiring more advanced technology than was available in his life time). Kerry Prendergast described the work in the context of Wellington’s rapid development as a centre for creative activity and public art; while Dame Silvia emphasized the growing awareness of Len Lye as a national and international figure in the world of twentieth century art.
Water Whirler may be seen on the pier just south (Frank Kitts Park side) of the Events Centre, performing from 10am – 12pm, at 3pm and then on the hour from 6 – 10 pm.
In search of a new wind sculpture
The Trust is embarking on a selection process for the fifth Meridian Energy Wind Sculpture, to be placed on a site between Cobham Drive and the Evans Bay foreshore.
This series of wind sculptures, marking the southern gateway to Wellington City from its airport, represent a very high profile commissioning opportunity for New Zealand's senior artists and persons with related skills. Three sculptures are already installed and have been widely reviewed and recognised. The fourth in the series has been announced.
The Trust is starting the process by seeking expressions of interest from artists/sculptors, and from architects and others relevant to the project working in collaboration with an artist/sculptor.
Details of the requirements for lodging an expression of interest, together with a brief relating to the site, are set out on thiswebsite (click on News and Events), or may be obtained by emailing the Administrator wellingtonsculpture@xtra.co.nz.
Submissions are due by 26 May 2006.
Sculpture updates
Two sculptures announced in our last newsletter are still on course for installation later in 2006. Seismic by Louise Purvis is to be placed on Bunny St outside Rutherford House, at Victoria University of Wellington's Pipitea Campus.
Urban Forest by Leon van den Eijkel, the fourth Meridian Energy wind sculpture is to be placed on Cobham Drive.
