AN ANNUAL AFFAIR
Right from its conception, Peter and Annabel hoped their paddock would serve emerging and established artists. The couple first transformed the garden into a public exhibition in 2014, a tradition that has continued every autumn for seven years. These days, between 60 and 100 contemporary sculptures are exhibited at Tai Tapu Sculpture Garden over the first three weekends in March. The event features more than 25 artists from throughout New Zealand, including a mix of emerging artists and notable Canterbury sculptors such as Graham Bennett, Bing Dawe, Neil Dawson and Alison Erickson.
It’s an event the couple couldn’t do alone. Curator Melissa Reimer has organized the outdoor event since its inception, a year-round job that often requires Peter to dig, prune and rearrange as the pieces are installed.
“Visitors will either come for the plants or sculpture,” says Annabel. “We want to educate people, so those who come for the plants are subtly educated about sculpture — and viceversa.” taitapusculpturegarden.co.nz
ANNABEL’S SCULPTURES:
The bones, skulls and roadkill remnants scattered about Annabel’s studio are just the beginning of her artistic process. She uses glass casting, a multi-step process that ends in a kiln, to create delicate replicas of animal remains. “Bones are amazing things. They are like little sculptures in their own right.” For her series, Annabel made impressions of fish skeletons to comment on New Zealand’s declining fish stocks. Using natural materials allows her to voice her concerns about climate change and biodiversity loss. Annabel’s work can be seen at Tai Tapu Sculpture Garden, Form Gallery in Christchurch and Quadrant Gallery in Dunedin.