Chairman’s Report
Year to 31 March 2010
Overview
The year was highly productive with Regan Gentry’s Subject to Change opening on 27June 2009, Peter Trevelyan’s Mimetic Brotherhood on 24 February 2010 and, after the end of the financial year, Phil Dadson’s Akau Tangi on 6 May 2010.
Regan Gentry’s Green Islands was successfully re-sited in the Wellington Botanic Garden.
During the year the Trust also made progress with three other large sculpture projects, Michel Tuffery’s Kina, the replacement northern Gateway sculpture, and the Katherine Mansfield memorial.
The Trust’s financial situation remains secure after the expenditures on the completed projects, but there are heavy shortfalls relating to the current and planned projects.
The Trust’s Work Programme
Subject to Change by Regan Gentry
This large and challenging work proved difficult to fabricate and install, and required a heroic, all weather effort by Regan to have it completed on time. But it was all ready for a splendid Saturday morning opening by the Mayor of Wellington Kerry Prendergast, at the site of the sculpture on Karo Drive, on 27June 2009.
The opening speeches recorded how the Te Aro area around the sculpture site had been subjected to much change, with older buildings restored, shifted or destroyed in the various processes of urban conservation, renewal and motorway development. Regan recounted how he had lived in the area for some time and watched the processes both of preservation and change.
The artwork cost an estimated $130,000. The contribution of $100,000 from the former Transit New Zealand, now incorporated in the New Zealand Transport Agency, was warmly acknowledged. The assistance of the Wellington City Council was also recognised with appreciation.
Mimetic Brotherhood by Peter Trevelyan
This work, the second in the Trust’s Four Plinths Temporary Sculpture Project, was opened by the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Hon Christopher Finlayson, at the commencement of the New Zealand International Arts Festival on 24 February 2010.
Peter’s work enlivens the site by introducing strong reflective qualities and movement. For the first week it was open for the public to push gently on it to accentuate the moving reflections, but over-vigorous activity led to a decision to place “Please do not touch” signs on each of the four pieces.
The Trust paid a fixed fee of $25,000 for this artwork, made possible by grants from Wellington Waterfront Limited and the City Council’s Public Art Fund.
Green Islands by Regan Gentry
This work was the first of the Four Plinths Temporary Sculpture Project and was removed from the site after more than two years, in January 2010. The Trust had received a large number of comments calling for the popular work to be retained in a public place in Wellington and was delighted when the Manager of the Wellington Botanic Garden indicated in 2009 that he would like to see it located permanently in the Garden.
While the Garden was able to pay for the costs of building new foundations/plinths on a site above the Norwood Rose Garden and of transport and installation, donors were required to provide for the purchase price of the art work. The Trust again conveys its warm thanks to Richard Nelson (trustee of the Wellington Sculpture Trust), the Sir Walter and Lady Rana Norwood Charitable Trust and Janet McCullum for their generosity in making the purchase possible.
Green Islands was opened on its new site on 28 January 2010 by the Mayor Kerry Prendergast.
Akau Tangi by Phil Dadson ONZM
This outstanding work, marking the completion of the Meridian Wind Sculpture Walkway on Cobham Drive, was opened by the Governor General, HE the Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, who is also the Trust’s Patron, at a function at Merdian’s waterfront building on 6 May 2010.
(Akau Tangi, previously publicised as Sound Travels, is the Maori name for Evans Bay and translates as ‘the lamenting sounds of wind in the bay.’)
Akau Tangi has been one of the Trust’s most demanding projects, with the placement of two of the poles in the sea of Evans Bay, and the development of the highly engineered cones which pivot according to wind direction, spin according to wind speed, make light and generate sound. The Trust acknowledges Phil’s mastery and professionalism in bringing this work to completion to such a high standard.
The work cost approximately $330,000, made possible only with a substantial grant from Meridian Energy, and further assistance from the Wellington City Council’s Public Art Fund.
The Meridian Wind Sculpture Walkway
This 10 year project, costing an estimated $750,000, is now complete and comprises:
Pacific Grass, Konstantin Dimopoulos, 2001
Zephyrometer, Phil Price, 2003
Tower of Light, Andrew Drummond, 2005
Wellington Urban Forest, Leon van den Eijkel, with Allan Brown, 2007
Akau Tangi, Phil Dadson, 2010.
Despite the Walkway element of the name, it has always been understood that most of the viewers of the sculptures will be in vehicles driving by on Cobham Drive, and each sculpture was designed and selected with this in mind. However with the upgrading of the pathway, the prominence of the sculptures and the higher density housing developments near the city end of Cobham Drive, a steady increase in the number of pedestrian viewers in expected.
The whole project to the best of the Trust’s knowledge represents the largest visual arts project in the public domain in New Zealand. It provides a set of kinetic artworks which is without precedent elsewhere on the globe. Individually each is an amazing sculpture to be proud to have in Wellington; collectively they comprise an asset without peer, making a stunning entry to the city from the airport, and securing Wellington’s reputation as the creative art capital.
The Trust, on its own and the City’s behalf, records its gratitude to Meridian for its major contribution to this amazing art series.
2009 Annual General Meeting
Last year’s AGM was held in the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Shed 11 on the Waterfront, with the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Hon Christopher Finlayson, as guest speaker.
Michel Tuffery introduced his sculpture proposal Nga Kina, and details of Subject to Change, the Gateway sculpture, the fifth Meridian Wind Sculpture (now Akau Tangi) and the plans for a Katherine Mansfield memorial were announced.
Financial Statements
The Financial Statements for the year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 have been audited and copies are available. We have substantial funds in hand which relate mainly to income for the Gateway sculpture and Akau Tangi, but this funding is still insufficient to cover the costs of either.
However in the year we have successfully completed to budget the installation of Subject to Change and Mimetic Brotherhood and seen the transfer of Green Islands to its new site.
We thank again the principal donors who have made this situation possible, Meridian Energy, Wellington City Council Public Art Fund and Wellington Waterfront Ltd.
We also acknowledge with appreciation the many smaller donations, membership subscriptions and sponsorships in kind, all of which make important contributions to sustaining our activity.
Looking ahead, the financial outlook is that we will be unable to commission any of the new projects we have identified without engaging in further intensive and successful fundraising.
Organisational matters
Mr Murray Cole retired as a trustee and we thank him for his many years of service. Mr Richard Nelson and Mr Richard Burrell were appointed to the Board of Trustees.
Otherwise the Board, the Arts Advisory Panel and the Administrator remain unchanged.
I take this opportunity to convey the Board’s warmest appreciation to its other Honorary Advisers, Mr Pat Sheehan, Treasurer; Mr David Underwood, Auditor; Mr Ray Patton, Engineering; and Mr John Nankervis, Legal.
Sponsors in kind
We extend our warm thanks to several firms that provide us with ongoing sponsorship with goods and services:
Printlink, which prints our newsletter without charge
Roger Steele and Lynn Peck of Steele Roberts Publishing and Central Media, who provide office space without charge
Darnoc which hosts our website, www.sculpture.org.nz
Other matters
The Trust has stepped up its low-key programme of sculpture tours and speaking engagements, with groups such as Rotary, U3A and Friends of the Botanic Garden. The first cycle tour of the central Wellington sculptures was held in November 2010.
New sculptures, openings and some other Trust activities achieved reasonable media coverage during the year, but we would welcome more in the form of serious art reviews in art magazines.
A newsletter particularly covering the opening of Subject to Change was published in the Spring of 2009.
Neil Plimmer
Chairman
